NATICK, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing novel, first-in-class, affinity-tuned CAR T cell therapies, today announced the formation of a Clinical and Regulatory Advisory Board (CRAB), comprised of distinguished experts in cancer research, immunology, and CAR T therapy. The CRAB will provide strategic counsel and expertise as AffyImmune advances its affinity-tuned CAR T therapeutics in clinical development.
“We are thrilled to assemble this group of distinguished advisors who share our goal of expanding potential treatment options for cancer patients. As our lead program AIC100 advances as a potential therapy for solid tumors in non-small cell lung and thyroid cancers, their combined expertise in drug development will be invaluable as we advance our clinical programs to develop trackable, affinity-tuned CAR T cell therapies,” said Matt Britz, CEO, AffyImmune.
“This group of distinguished scientists and advisors bring to AffyImmune invaluable CAR T drug development experience from research to commercialization,” said Sonal Gupta, MD, PhD, AffyImmune SVP and Head of Clinical Development. “They are uniquely suited to advise AffyImmune on its development goals and the best path forward that will help bring its potential first-in-class, affinity-tuned CAR T therapies to cancer patients.”
“Having seen the data supporting the first milestone in cell therapy - safety in initial cohorts of patients in a phase I clinical trial, it is exciting to observe the next-stage in the development of CAR T-cell therapy that is applicable to patients with solid tumors,” said Prasad S. Adusumilli, MD, FACS.
‘’I am honored to join Affylmmune’s Clinical and Regulatory Advisory Board and look forward to working with the other members to advance the development of novel treatments,” said Carmelo Nucera, MD, PhD.
Members of the AffyImmune Clinical and Regulatory Advisory Board are:
- Prasad S. Adusumilli, MD, FACS, Thoracic Surgeon & Cellular Therapist, Deputy Chief and Attending, Thoracic Service, Vice Chair for Translational Research, Department of Surgery Co-Director, Mesothelioma Program, Member, Solid Tumors Cell Therapy, Cellular Therapeutics Center, Min H. & Yu-Fan C. Kao Chair in Thoracic Cancer, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
- James Mulé, PhD, Associate Center Director for Translational Science, Interim Associate Center Director for Basic Science, the Michael McGillicuddy Endowed Chair for Melanoma Research and Treatment, and Scientific Director of Cell Based Therapies, Moffitt Cancer Center.
- Jorge J. Nieva, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California and Section Head, Solid Tumors, USC/Norris Cancer Center.
- Carmelo Nucera, MD, PhD, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, Principal Investigator of the Human Thyroid Cancers Preclinical and Translational Research Program, Center for Vascular Biology and Biomedical Research, Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
- Eric J. Sherman, MD, Head & Neck Oncologist, Associate Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
- Melissa Tice, PhD, Program Director for Regulatory Affairs, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Research and Leadership, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University.
- Hagop Youssoufian, MD, Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Brown University, experienced life sciences executive with more than 25 years of drug development in biotech and pharma.
About AffyImmune Therapeutics
AffyImmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing novel, first-in-class, affinity-tuned CAR T cell therapies to transform the lives of patients with cancer. The Company’s proprietary technology utilizing ICAM1/LFA-1 interaction can potentially address all critical CAR T challenges such as toxicity, antigen loss, T-cell trafficking and exhaustion, while also allowing in vivo tracking of the CAR T cells. Its lead candidate, AIC100, is a ICAM1-directed CAR T therapy being developed for patients with advanced thyroid cancer. AffyImmune is developing a focused pipeline of therapeutics targeting ICAM-1 in oncologic indications with high unmet medical need. AffyImmune is based in Natick, MA. For more information, visit www.affyimmune.com.
