Laguna Bio is advancing a living‑therapeutic approach that uses a highly attenuated Listeria monocytogenes strain engineered to activate multifactorial immune responses, the founders told reporters. The company plans soon to test its lead strain in pediatric leukemia patients, aiming to recruit gamma‑delta T cells and other innate and adaptive responses that standard immunotherapies may not engage effectively. Founders Jonathan Kotula, Dan Portnoy, and Russell Carrington described engineering steps to attenuate pathogenicity while preserving immunostimulatory capacity. Laguna’s strategy blends microbial immunobiology with elements of cell and checkpoint therapies to generate durable anti‑tumor immunity; early clinical safety, dosing and manufacturing will determine whether the approach scales beyond niche indications.