Resources now focused on promising CAR-Treg programs, with the addition of new skills through leading recruitment
VALBONNE, France I November 29, 2016 I 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 that it has completed adapting its organization to deliver results from its new strategic priorities.
TxCell has appointed François Meyer, PhD, Executive Chairman of TxCell, to head its new research group. Dr. Meyer contributes 35 years of experience to TxCell as head of research of Rhone Poulenc Rorer and Aventis Pharma (Sanofi), with a significant background in molecular biology.
The research group encompasses three units: Cell Engineering, Pharmacology and Process Development. The group currently comprises 31 employees, including 10 PhD and 9 engineers. The three units have been expanded and designed to target achievements in the following areas:
• Cell Engineering: in addition to the recent appointment of Li Zhou, PhD, as Vice President, Cell Engineering as head of this unit, TxCell has also recently recruited additional international scientists. These new key skills have been acquired for the engineering and optimization of CAR constructs, design and implementation of suitable analytical assays, as well as vector engineering and optimization.
• Pharmacology: this unit has been designed to focus on Treg cell biology and specifically on the mechanism of action of cell therapy products. It will also concentrate on pharmacology from proof-of-concept in animal models to non-clinical packages to prepare for the first-in-man clinical studies.
• Process Development: this unit is now focused on two priorities, the finalization of the improved ASTrIA process and the development of a new manufacturing process for the CAR-Treg ENTrIA platform, ready for entering clinical development by 2018.
Arnaud Foussat, PhD, formerly CSO, is now Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Head of External Collaborations & Alliance Management. In addition to overseeing new innovations, intellectual property and government fundings, he will also be responsible for managing existing and future academic and pharma collaborations.
Dr. Miguel Forte, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, will be leaving the company.
“TxCell has now completed its strategic and organizational transformation. I would like to thank all stakeholders, notably Miguel Forte, for their contribution to this rapid, profound turnaround,” said Stéphane Boissel, CEO of TxCell. “We can now look to the future with great expectations and with one major objective in mind: for TxCell to be the first organization ever to put a CAR-Treg product in clinical development, with the aim of achieving this by 2018.”
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 targeting a range of autoimmune diseases (both T-cell and B-cell-mediated) including Crohn’s disease, lupus nephritis, bullous pemphigoid and multiple sclerosis, as well as transplantation-related inflammatory disorders.
TxCell is the only clinical-stage cellular therapy company fully 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. Contrary to conventional approaches based on non-specific polyclonal Tregs, TxCell is exclusively developing antigen-specific Tregs. This antigen specificity may either come from pre-existing Treg cell T-Cell Receptor (TCR) or from genetic modifications with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR). TxCell is developing two proprietary technology platforms, ASTrIA, which is composed of non-modified naturally antigen-specific Tregs, and ENTrIA, which is composed of genetically-engineered Tregs.
Based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, TxCell is listed on Euronext Paris and currently has 45 employees.
SOURCE: TxCell
Post Views: 18
Resources now focused on promising CAR-Treg programs, with the addition of new skills through leading recruitment
VALBONNE, France I November 29, 2016 I 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 that it has completed adapting its organization to deliver results from its new strategic priorities.
TxCell has appointed François Meyer, PhD, Executive Chairman of TxCell, to head its new research group. Dr. Meyer contributes 35 years of experience to TxCell as head of research of Rhone Poulenc Rorer and Aventis Pharma (Sanofi), with a significant background in molecular biology.
The research group encompasses three units: Cell Engineering, Pharmacology and Process Development. The group currently comprises 31 employees, including 10 PhD and 9 engineers. The three units have been expanded and designed to target achievements in the following areas:
• Cell Engineering: in addition to the recent appointment of Li Zhou, PhD, as Vice President, Cell Engineering as head of this unit, TxCell has also recently recruited additional international scientists. These new key skills have been acquired for the engineering and optimization of CAR constructs, design and implementation of suitable analytical assays, as well as vector engineering and optimization.
• Pharmacology: this unit has been designed to focus on Treg cell biology and specifically on the mechanism of action of cell therapy products. It will also concentrate on pharmacology from proof-of-concept in animal models to non-clinical packages to prepare for the first-in-man clinical studies.
• Process Development: this unit is now focused on two priorities, the finalization of the improved ASTrIA process and the development of a new manufacturing process for the CAR-Treg ENTrIA platform, ready for entering clinical development by 2018.
Arnaud Foussat, PhD, formerly CSO, is now Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Head of External Collaborations & Alliance Management. In addition to overseeing new innovations, intellectual property and government fundings, he will also be responsible for managing existing and future academic and pharma collaborations.
Dr. Miguel Forte, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, will be leaving the company.
“TxCell has now completed its strategic and organizational transformation. I would like to thank all stakeholders, notably Miguel Forte, for their contribution to this rapid, profound turnaround,” said Stéphane Boissel, CEO of TxCell. “We can now look to the future with great expectations and with one major objective in mind: for TxCell to be the first organization ever to put a CAR-Treg product in clinical development, with the aim of achieving this by 2018.”
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 targeting a range of autoimmune diseases (both T-cell and B-cell-mediated) including Crohn’s disease, lupus nephritis, bullous pemphigoid and multiple sclerosis, as well as transplantation-related inflammatory disorders.
TxCell is the only clinical-stage cellular therapy company fully 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. Contrary to conventional approaches based on non-specific polyclonal Tregs, TxCell is exclusively developing antigen-specific Tregs. This antigen specificity may either come from pre-existing Treg cell T-Cell Receptor (TCR) or from genetic modifications with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR). TxCell is developing two proprietary technology platforms, ASTrIA, which is composed of non-modified naturally antigen-specific Tregs, and ENTrIA, which is composed of genetically-engineered Tregs.
Based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, TxCell is listed on Euronext Paris and currently has 45 employees.
SOURCE: TxCell
Post Views: 18
