Biotech Veteran Brings Deep Scientific and Clinical Leadership to Immune-Onc as the Company Expands Clinical Development of its Novel Myeloid Checkpoint Inhibitors
Recent $6M Award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Will Further Accelerate Clinical Development of IO-202, a First-in-Class LILRB4 Antagonist Antibody
PALO ALTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AML–Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Inc. (“Immune-Onc”), a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company developing novel biotherapeutics targeting immunosuppressive myeloid checkpoints, today announced the appointment of Stuart Lutzker, M.D., Ph.D. to Immune-Onc’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). A pioneer of the biotech industry, Dr. Lutzker brings decades of oncology drug discovery and development experience to the Immune-Onc team.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Lutzker to Immune-Onc’s Scientific Advisory Board. As we continue to advance our pipeline of novel immunotherapeutics, Dr. Lutzker’s vast drug development expertise and leadership will be a valuable addition to our team,” said Charlene Liao, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Immune-Onc. “In addition to Dr. Lutzker’s appointment, we are honored to be recognized with a research award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine which together with our recently announced Series B1 and B2 funding and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Therapy Acceleration Program investment will further accelerate our clinical and pre-clinical development programs targeting myeloid checkpoints in blood cancers and solid tumors.”
“I am excited to join Immune-Onc’s Scientific Advisory Board and look forward to working with the company’s experienced management team,” said Stuart Lutzker, M.D., Ph.D. “The data supporting Immune-Onc’s pipeline of clinical and pre-clinical stage candidates targeting the LILRB family of myeloid checkpoints are impressive, and I’m eager to work with the team to help move these programs through clinical development to ultimately make a meaningful impact for patients with cancer.”
Dr. Stuart Lutzker is an industry veteran with decades of oncology drug development and leadership experience. Most recently, Dr. Lutzker was Vice President of Oncology Early Clinical Development at Genentech from 2009-2021 where he led the early development of multiple now approved oncology drugs including Kadcyla®, Polivy®, Venclexta®, Cotellic® and Tecentriq®. Prior to Genentech, Dr. Lutzker was a medical oncologist and cancer researcher at the NCI-Designated Cancer Institute of New Jersey, where he divided his time between patient care and laboratory-based cancer research. Dr. Lutzker received his M.D./Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Following his residency and fellowship in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Dr. Lutzker completed post-doctoral research training in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. Dr. Lutzker has also served as faculty for the ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop in Vail, CO.
On April 20, 2021, Immune-Onc was awarded a $6 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Proceeds from the grant will help fund clinical development of IO-202, a first-in-class LILRB4 antagonist antibody, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).
CIRM, California’s Stem Cell Agency, was founded in 2004 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act, which allocated $3 billion in state funding for stem cell research conducted in California. In 2020, CIRM was funded again with the approval of Proposition 14, which provided $5.5 billion in general obligation bond funding to support stem cell and regenerative medicine research in California.
ABOUT IMMUNE-ONC THERAPEUTICS
Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Inc. (“Immune-Onc”) is a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel myeloid checkpoint inhibitors for cancer patients. The company aims to translate unique scientific insights in myeloid cell biology and immune inhibitory receptors to discover and develop first-in-class biotherapeutics that disarm immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. Immune-Onc has a promising pipeline with a current focus on targeting the Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor subfamily B (LILRB) of myeloid checkpoints.
Immune-Onc’s lead program IO-202, a first-in-class antibody targeting LILRB4 (also known as ILT3), is in Phase 1 clinical development for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). The company also plans to evaluate IO-202 in solid tumors. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted IO-202 Orphan Drug Designation for treatment of AML in October 2020. Immune-Onc’s pipeline also includes IO-108, a novel antagonist antibody targeting LILRB2 (also known as ILT4) which is currently in the IND-enabling stage. Other preclinical assets include IO-106, a first-in-class anti-LAIR1 antibody, and multiple undisclosed programs for solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.
The company has strategic research collaborations with The University of Texas, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and has invested in proprietary models, assays, and tools to interrogate the biology and translate this cutting-edge research into the development of novel therapies. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Immune-Onc has assembled a diverse team with deep expertise in drug development and proven track records of success at leading biotechnology companies. For more information, please visit www.immune-onc.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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