Deciduous Therapeutics

Founded in 2019 in San Francisco by UCSF professor Anil Bhushan and serial biotech entrepreneur Robin Mansukhani, Deciduous Therapeutics develops small molecules that restore the immune system's ability to clear senescent cells rather than killing them directly. Its lead approach uses lipid-based agonists to activate invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, an endogenous surveillance mechanism that senses and eliminates senescent cells; the founding research demonstrated clearance and metabolic benefit in mouse models of diet-induced obesity. The company targets age-related and fibrotic diseases and remains preclinical. Investors include LifeSpan Vision Ventures and former Novartis CEO Thomas Ebeling.