Kure Cells, a U.S.-based biotechnology company specializing in next-generation cell and gene therapies, has raised $10 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Wa’ed Ventures, the $500 million venture capital fund backed by Saudi Aramco. The round also saw participation from Qomel, NantBio, and US93.
The funding aims to accelerate Kure Cells’ mission to transform cancer treatment through its rapid-manufacturing platform for CAR-T and cell-based therapies. The company’s proprietary Ultra-Fast CAR (UF-CAR) technology enables same-day engineering of patient T-cells in less than 24 hours, dramatically reducing manufacturing time and cost compared to traditional multi-week processes.
Kure’s lead candidate, UF-KURE19, has achieved an 88% complete response rate among patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma, demonstrating both high efficacy and improved safety profiles.
Through this new investment, Kure Cells will expand its operations to Saudi Arabia, establishing localized R&D and manufacturing facilities dedicated to advanced cell therapy development. The company will work in collaboration with Saudi researchers and clinicians to adapt its platform to local regulatory and clinical frameworks.
This initiative aligns with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Investment (MISA) and the Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA) vision to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology ecosystem and position the country as a hub for advanced cell and gene therapy innovation.
In a separate statement, Qomel confirmed its $1.38 million participation in the round. Kure Cells was founded in 2021 by Dr. David Wald and Dr. Sayer Alfuraydi.
“Partnering with Kure Cells is a crucial step in localizing cutting-edge biotech companies in the Kingdom,” said Anas Algahtani, Acting CEO of Wa’ed Ventures. “Their rapid cell therapy manufacturing platform compresses timelines, lowers costs, and broadens patient access while actively building Saudi’s biotech ecosystem through local R&D, talent development, and clinical translation.”
“This partnership marks a major step toward making truly next-generation CAR-T therapies accessible globally,” added Dr. David Wald, Co-founder and CEO of Kure Cells. “Our ultra-fast platform is designed not only to deliver safer and more durable patient outcomes but also to enable rapid, in-country manufacturing at a fraction of the cost.”
