Azalea Therapeutics, a spinoff from Jennifer Doudna’s lab, launched with $82 million to develop single‑dose, in‑vivo CAR‑T approaches that convert patients’ immune cells directly inside the body. The company’s dual‑vector strategy aims to bypass ex‑vivo manufacturing and the logistical complexities of current CAR‑T therapies, targeting broader access and lower cost. Azalea’s funding — an $17 million seed followed by a $65 million Series A reported in STAT coverage — underscores sustained investor interest in in‑vivo cell therapy despite wider market pressures on gene‑editing startups. The firm positions itself amid a crowded race to enable durable, one‑shot cell therapies using delivery and editing innovations. Azalea says its approach could shorten timelines and reduce the toxicity and cost associated with manufactured CAR‑T products, but the field still faces delivery, safety, and regulatory hurdles before clinic‑wide adoption.