MiNK Therapeutics Joined ARPA-H Room-Temp Storage Project

The company will help develop technology to store cell therapies at 21 degrees Celsius, replacing cryogenic methods.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Biotech

Bold vector editorial illustration of a glass medical vial with a geometric hydrogel structure, representing advances in room-temperature cell therapy storage. — MiNK Therapeutics has partnered with the ARPA-H BioStabilization Systems program to develop technology for storing cell therapies at room temperature, potentially eliminating the need for cryogenic logistics. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should federal research prioritize logistics to make advanced medical therapies easier to distribute and store?

MiNK Therapeutics has joined the ARPA-H BioStabilization Systems program, a research-stage initiative backed by $87 million in funding. The project aims to transition cell therapy storage from current cryogenic temperatures of -196 degrees Celsius to stable room-temperature storage at 21 degrees Celsius.

Why it matters

Reducing reliance on complex cold-chain infrastructure could significantly expand global access to sophisticated cell-based medicines. The research addresses a major bottleneck in the distribution of high-value biologics that currently require extreme refrigeration.

The program aims to achieve stable storage at 21 degrees Celsius, a substantial departure from the standard -196 degrees Celsius cryogenic baseline. Researchers will utilize artificial intelligence to design optimal formulations for quiescence induction—the process of putting cells into a dormant state—while using freeze-assisted droplet drying.

The players

MiNK Therapeutics

A clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of off-the-shelf allogeneic invariant natural killer cell therapies.

ARPA-H

A United States federal agency tasked with accelerating health outcomes by funding high-risk, high-reward biomedical research.

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

A non-profit research and development organization that specializes in advanced engineering and complex system integration.

The details

The research team, led by The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, is working to optimize hydrogel composition and recovery media to maintain cell viability at ambient temperatures. Freeze-assisted droplet drying—a process that removes moisture from biological samples to prevent degradation—is the primary mechanism being employed to create a shelf-stable product. This approach relies on AI-assisted design of experiments to systematically refine the complex chemistry required for cellular preservation.

September 30, 2026: MiNK Therapeutics announced its selection for the BoSS program.
4 years: Total duration of the ARPA-H BoSS initiative.

The Tech Race

The initiative represents a push to modernize the logistical backbone of the rapidly growing cell therapy sector. By joining the ARPA-H BioStabilization Systems program, MiNK Therapeutics enters a competitive research environment alongside other institutions working to move beyond current cold-chain limitations.

This research is at the development stage and will not immediately change current clinical workflows or patient access to cell therapies. If successful, the technology could eventually lower the costs and complexity of distributing life-saving treatments to hospitals and remote clinics.

The takeaway

The success of this project hinges on proving that cell-based products can remain functional after undergoing drying and ambient storage. Watch for progress reports from the four-year program duration to see if these formulations meet standard efficacy benchmarks.