HOUSTON, Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- RBL LLC, a pioneering biotech venture creation studio dedicated to rapidly building biotechnology companies, and portfolio company Sentinel BioTherapeutics, a clinical-stage company developing encapsulated protein producers (ePPs) that enable locoregional immune system activation against peritoneal tumors, today announced the appointment of Zelanna Goldberg, M.D. to its board of directors and as Chair of the company's Clinical Advisory Board.
Zelanna is a seasoned oncology drug developer and physician-scientist with more than two decades of experience leading translational and clinical programs across solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. She currently serves as Chief Medical Officer at Totus Medicines; previously, she was the Chief Medical Officer at Replicate Bioscience, Alpine Immune Sciences and was SVP of clinical development at Iovance Biotherapeutics, where she led development of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies incorporating high-dose IL-2. Her earlier tenure at Pfizer included leadership of global studies supporting multiple oncology registrations.
"SENT001 offers a truly novel approach to overcoming the fundamental challenges in cytokine therapy," said Dr. Goldberg. "While high dose IL-2 has long been recognized for its potential to activate powerful anti-tumor immune responses, its short half-life and systemic toxicity have limited its practical use. By enabling high-dose local production of IL-2 directly within the peritoneal cavity, SENT001 has the potential to deliver sustained immune activation where it's needed most and offers new hope for patients with few effective treatment options."
"As Sentinel advances toward a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with peritoneal metastasis of gastric and colorectal cancer, bringing in the best clinical leadership has been our top priority," said Rima Chakrabarti, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Sentinel BioTherapeutics. "Zelanna's proven track record in advancing oncology platforms from discovery into late-stage clinical development make her an invaluable addition to the Sentinel team. Her strategic insight and clinical acumen and will be instrumental as we progress SENT001 and broaden our product pipeline."
Dr. Goldberg joins existing board members Rima Chakrabarti, the company's Chief Executive Officer, Heidi Hagen, Omid Veiseh, Ravi Ghanta, and Board Chairman Paul Wotton.
About Sentinel BioTherapeutics:
Sentinel BioTherapeutics, a portfolio company of RBL LLC, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering loco-regional immune-modulating therapies for tumors that are unresponsive to current treatments. Sentinel's platform delivers potent immune modulators, starting with IL-2, via encapsulated allogeneic cell-based protein producers (ePPs) designed for peritoneal administration—activating the local and systemic immune system while minimizing systemic toxicity. With an active IND, Fast Track and Orphan Disease designations, and a scalable GMP process, Sentinel is committed to bringing more treatment options to the cancer patient's bedside. For more information, please visit https://www.sentinelbiotherapeutics.com/.
About RBL LLC:
RBL LLC is a pioneering biotech venture creation studio based in Houston that is dedicated to accelerating the development of breakthrough medical technologies and therapies through company formation. RBL provides entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators with infrastructure, financial support and strategic guidance as well as access to laboratory space and shared resources in the Texas Medical Center Helix Park. For more information, please visit https://www.rbl-llc.com/.
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SOURCE Sentinel BioTherapeutics
