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institutions, and regulators who are waking up to the cost of
biologics that don’t last.

The revolution is no longer theoretical. It’s happening—in
labs, startups, policy circles, and pilot programs. What was
once fringe is becoming foundational.

Startups: Designing for Durability from Day One

In the post-blockbuster era of biotech, the game has
changed. Success is no longer measured by how quickly
you can advance a molecule through Phase II. The most
promising biotech startups today are flipping the playbook
entirely. They aren’t just chasing novelty—they’re chasing
persistence.

These companies are engineering therapies that don’t just
work. They last. They don’t just bind to targets—they build
trust with the immune system.

Take Zea Biosciences, whose edible biologics are grown in
plants like lettuce and duckweed. By delivering proteins
orally and bioencapsulated within plant cells, Zea taps into
the gut’s natural machinery for immune tolerance. Their
therapies activate regulatory T cells through mucosal
signaling—bypassing the inflammatory pathways triggered
by injections.

What Zea has that sets it apart is a platform-first mindset.
They are not a one-product company—they’re a
architecture firm for immune-compatible drug
development. Tolerogenic design isn’t a bonus. It’s baked
into every part of the value chain: gene construct selection,

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