TxCell Appoints Biogen’s Dr. Olivier Danos, Pioneer In Gene Therapy For Neurological Disorders, To Its Scientific Advisory Board
SAB now composed of four world-leading immunology experts, including Prof. Zelig Eshhar, who recently received the Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology
Valbonne, France, August 24, 2016 – TxCell SA (FR0010127662 – TXCL), a biotechnology company developing innovative, personalized cellular immunotherapies using regulatory T cells (Treg) to treat severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, today announces the appointment to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of Olivier Danos, PhD, Senior Vice President of Cell and Gene Therapy at Biogen and a world-leading expert in the field of Gene Therapy for hematological and neurological diseases.
“Dr. Olivier Danos has pioneered technologies of central importance in the field of gene therapy and genome editing,” said Arnaud Foussat, Chief Scientific Officer of TxCell. “He is another significant addition to our SAB, which already includes leading experts in immunology, T-cell biology and chimeric antigen receptors. These include Professor Zelig Eshhar as Chairman, who was recently awarded the prestigious Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology. We are looking forward to their insights and advice on our current and future R&D programs targeting severe chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.”
Dr. Danos has led Biogen’s gene therapy research group, a team dedicated to identifying and developing new technologies for gene transfer and genome engineering, since 2014. Prior to Biogen, Dr. Danos served as Senior Vice President, Molecular Medicine, Synthetic Biology and Gene Regulation, at Kadmon Pharmaceuticals, from 2011 to 2014. In this role, he was instrumental in assembling a gene therapy program and a technology platform for the development of controllable gene expression systems. Prior to Kadmon, Dr. Danos was the Director of the Gene Therapy Consortium at University College, London, and led a gene therapy research team at the Necker Hospital - Enfants Malades in Paris. His other previous appointments include Scientific Director of Généthon and Senior Research Director with the CNRS in France.
TxCell created its SAB in March 2016 with the appointment of the first three members: Professor Zelig Eshhar (Chairman), Professor of Immunology, Chair of Immunology Research, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Professor Chiara Bonini, Head of Unit, Experimental Hematology, San Raffaele Hopital, Milan, Italy; and Doctor Bernard Malissen, Research Director, Immunology, Center of Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France.
Professor Zelig Eshhar awarded the Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology
On August 22, 2016, Professor Eshhar received the Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology at the 16th International Congress of Immunology (ICI) in Melbourne, Australia. The prize was awarded to three scientists, including Professor Eshhar, for their work on cellular immunotherapy using Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T cells (CAR-T-cells) for diseases such as cancer. The winners were selected by an independent jury of seven world-class immunologists for their groundbreaking research into the biology of the immune system.
Professor Eshhar pioneered the CAR approach and was the first scientist to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of CAR-Treg cells in preclinical models of intestinal inflammation. In June 2016, TxCell obtained exclusive worldwide rights to a patent co-invented by Professor Eshhar which covers all redirected, genetically engineered T regulatory cells (CAR Tregs) and their use in the suppression of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This patent has already been granted in Europe and is under review in the United States.
About TxCell – www.txcell.com
TxCell is a biotechnology company that develops platforms for innovative, personalized T cell immunotherapies for the treatment of severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases with high unmet medical need. TxCell is the only clinical-stage cellular therapy company dedicated to the science of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs). Tregs are a recently discovered T cell population for which anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated.
TxCell is developing two proprietary technology platforms, ASTrIA and ENTrIA. ASTrIA is composed of autologous antigen-specific Type 1 Tregs. Ovasave(R), TxCell’s lead drug-candidate originating from the ASTrIA platform, is currently in a phase IIb clinical trial in refractory Crohn’s disease patients. ENTrIA is composed of Chimeric Antigen Receptor engineered FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (CAR-Treg). In this area, TxCell is pursuing two CAR-Treg development programs in collaboration with leading European research institutions: one targeting Lupus Nephritis with Ospedale San Raffaele in Milan and the other targeting Bullous Pemphigoid with the Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology. Based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, TxCell is listed on Euronext Paris and currently has 50 employees.
Valbonne, France, August 24, 2016 – TxCell SA (FR0010127662 – TXCL), a biotechnology company developing innovative, personalized cellular immunotherapies using regulatory T cells (Treg) to treat severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, today announces the appointment to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of Olivier Danos, PhD, Senior Vice President of Cell and Gene Therapy at Biogen and a world-leading expert in the field of Gene Therapy for hematological and neurological diseases.
“Dr. Olivier Danos has pioneered technologies of central importance in the field of gene therapy and genome editing,” said Arnaud Foussat, Chief Scientific Officer of TxCell. “He is another significant addition to our SAB, which already includes leading experts in immunology, T-cell biology and chimeric antigen receptors. These include Professor Zelig Eshhar as Chairman, who was recently awarded the prestigious Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology. We are looking forward to their insights and advice on our current and future R&D programs targeting severe chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.”
Dr. Danos has led Biogen’s gene therapy research group, a team dedicated to identifying and developing new technologies for gene transfer and genome engineering, since 2014. Prior to Biogen, Dr. Danos served as Senior Vice President, Molecular Medicine, Synthetic Biology and Gene Regulation, at Kadmon Pharmaceuticals, from 2011 to 2014. In this role, he was instrumental in assembling a gene therapy program and a technology platform for the development of controllable gene expression systems. Prior to Kadmon, Dr. Danos was the Director of the Gene Therapy Consortium at University College, London, and led a gene therapy research team at the Necker Hospital - Enfants Malades in Paris. His other previous appointments include Scientific Director of Généthon and Senior Research Director with the CNRS in France.
TxCell created its SAB in March 2016 with the appointment of the first three members: Professor Zelig Eshhar (Chairman), Professor of Immunology, Chair of Immunology Research, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; Professor Chiara Bonini, Head of Unit, Experimental Hematology, San Raffaele Hopital, Milan, Italy; and Doctor Bernard Malissen, Research Director, Immunology, Center of Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France.
Professor Zelig Eshhar awarded the Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology
On August 22, 2016, Professor Eshhar received the Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology at the 16th International Congress of Immunology (ICI) in Melbourne, Australia. The prize was awarded to three scientists, including Professor Eshhar, for their work on cellular immunotherapy using Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T cells (CAR-T-cells) for diseases such as cancer. The winners were selected by an independent jury of seven world-class immunologists for their groundbreaking research into the biology of the immune system.
Professor Eshhar pioneered the CAR approach and was the first scientist to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of CAR-Treg cells in preclinical models of intestinal inflammation. In June 2016, TxCell obtained exclusive worldwide rights to a patent co-invented by Professor Eshhar which covers all redirected, genetically engineered T regulatory cells (CAR Tregs) and their use in the suppression of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This patent has already been granted in Europe and is under review in the United States.
About TxCell – www.txcell.com
TxCell is a biotechnology company that develops platforms for innovative, personalized T cell immunotherapies for the treatment of severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases with high unmet medical need. TxCell is the only clinical-stage cellular therapy company dedicated to the science of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs). Tregs are a recently discovered T cell population for which anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated.
TxCell is developing two proprietary technology platforms, ASTrIA and ENTrIA. ASTrIA is composed of autologous antigen-specific Type 1 Tregs. Ovasave(R), TxCell’s lead drug-candidate originating from the ASTrIA platform, is currently in a phase IIb clinical trial in refractory Crohn’s disease patients. ENTrIA is composed of Chimeric Antigen Receptor engineered FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (CAR-Treg). In this area, TxCell is pursuing two CAR-Treg development programs in collaboration with leading European research institutions: one targeting Lupus Nephritis with Ospedale San Raffaele in Milan and the other targeting Bullous Pemphigoid with the Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology. Based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, TxCell is listed on Euronext Paris and currently has 50 employees.