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Cancer Immunotherapy: From Nineteenth-Century Beginnings to Modern Breakthroughs

  • Post author:jai
  • Post published:February 7, 2025
  • Post category:Articles
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Immuno-oncology seeks to harness the body’s immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells. Although often considered a modern medical breakthrough, its roots trace back to the late 19th century.…

Continue ReadingCancer Immunotherapy: From Nineteenth-Century Beginnings to Modern Breakthroughs

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Anti-inflammatory Cytokine

Interleukin-4 is an additional anti-inflammatory cytokine that specifically suppresses T cell activation while also suppressing macrophage and monocyte inflammatory responses.

scFv Scaffold

The scFv scaffold is used to enrich inflamed tissue with the anti-inflammatory cytokines targeting MAdCAM for Crohn’s and colitis, VEGFR2 for Psoriasis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, or CD14 for sepsis.

Anti-inflammatory Cytokine

Interleukin-10 is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine and the low affinity variant developed by Deka does not activate T cells at any dose

Linkers

Each protein subunit of the Diakine™ (e.g. interleukin-4, interleukin-10, variable heavy and variable light chain) is linked in series as a single chain via simple and flexible protein linkers. Due to the orientation of the amino and carboxy termini of each protein, the Diakine™ exhibits a three- dimensional structure and stability similar to antibodies.

Targeting System

The complementarity determining regions (CDR’s) from other antibodies are grafted into the scFv scaffold sequence to confer specificity for targets expressed in inflamed tissue or on inflammatory cells (e.g., CD14, MAdCAM, VEGFR2 receptors).

Targeting System

The complementarity determining regions (CDR’s) from other antibodies are grafted into the scFv scaffold sequence to confer specificity for tumor antigens (e.g., EGFR, HER2, VEGFR receptors).

Anti-inflammatory Cytokine

Interleukin-10 is nature’s anti-inflammatory cytokine, which at certain doses can also activate anti-cancer T cells. By individually coupling the stimulatory cytokines with IL-10, each Diakine™ controls toxic inflammation,  while potently activating the patient’s immune system to seek out and destroy tumors.

Linkers

Each protein subunit of the Diakine™ (e.g. interleukin-2, interleukin-10, variable heavy and variable light chain) is linked in series as a single chain via simple and flexible protein linkers. Due to the orientation of the amino and carboxy termini of each protein, the Diakine™ exhibits a three- dimensional structure and stability similar to antibodies.

scFv Scaffold

The single chain variable fragment (scFv) scaffold is used to enrich the DiakineTM in the tumor microenvironment. The scFv is comprised of a variable heavy and variable light chain derived from a human antibody.

Stimulatory Cytokine

Stimulatory cytokine (e.g., interleukin-2, interleukin-12, interferon alpha) are small proteins that can activate immune cells (e.g., T and NK cells) to selectively destroy cancer cells, but can also cause toxic inflammation.

Dave-Boclair-New-png

Dave Boclair

Vice President, Technical Operations

Dave is a Biologics Operations leader specializing in the product lifecycle from initial process scale-up through commercial launch. His work experience includes operations leadership roles at Cytovance Biologics, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy. Throughout his career, Dave has had oversight and accountability for over 50 biologic and gene therapy clinical production campaigns, including 5 successful commercial launches. Dave is passionate about finding innovative scale-up solutions to improve access to life-saving biologics.

Dave Boclair

Vice President, Technical Operations

Biography

Dave is a Biologics Operations leader specializing in the product lifecycle from initial process scale-up through commercial launch. His work experience includes operations leadership roles at Cytovance Biologics, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy. Throughout his career, Dave has had oversight and accountability for over 50 biologic and gene therapy clinical production campaigns, including 5 successful commercial launches. Dave is passionate about finding innovative scale-up solutions to improve access to life-saving biologics.

Deb-New

Deb Kientop, MBA

Vice President, Clinical Operations

Deb has over 27 years working in oncology drug development, from bench research at the University of Wisconsin, to medical affairs and clinical development roles within pharma and CRO.  She has held various leadership positions within small to large size pharma (US Bioscience, Eisai, MGI Pharma, MedImmune) as well as CROs (IQVIA, ICON, Synteract).  She was most recently the Sr. Vice President of Oncology Strategy and Innovation at ErgoMed.

She brings a deep understanding of oncology and hemato-oncology clinical development landscape, along with established relationships with thought leaders and investigators globally. 

Deb has an undergraduate degree in Pharmacology/Toxicology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. 

She is also a cancer survivor, published author and patient advocate.

Deb Kientop, MBA

Vice President, Clinical Operations

Biography

Deb has over 27 years working in oncology drug development, from bench research at the University of Wisconsin, to medical affairs and clinical development roles within pharma and CRO.  She has held various leadership positions within small to large size pharma (US Bioscience, Eisai, MGI Pharma, MedImmune) as well as CROs (IQVIA, ICON, Synteract).  She was most recently the Sr. Vice President of Oncology Strategy and Innovation at ErgoMed.

She brings a deep understanding of oncology and hemato-oncology clinical development landscape, along with established relationships with thought leaders and investigators globally. 

Deb has an undergraduate degree in Pharmacology/Toxicology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. 

She is also a cancer survivor, published author and patient advocate

Christopher-Yaen-Deka-new

Christopher Yaen, JD

General Counsel

Chris is a registered U.S. Patent attorney with over two decades of patent law experience. Before Deka, Chris practiced law at Arent Fox and Hunton & Williams helping life science, chemical, medical device, and agricultural clients with a variety of intellectual property issues. Chris also served as a primary patent examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office in the immunology-oncology arts. Chris also conducted angiogenesis research at the National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research and at Thomas Jefferson University, Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research. Chris is licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C and is admitted to the Supreme Court of the U.S. and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit.

Christopher Yaen, JD

General Counsel

Biography

Chris is a registered U.S. Patent attorney with over two decades of patent law experience. Before Deka, Chris practiced law at Arent Fox and Hunton & Williams helping life science, chemical, medical device, and agricultural clients with a variety of intellectual property issues. Chris also served as a primary patent examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office in the immunology-oncology arts. Chris also conducted angiogenesis research at the National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research and at Thomas Jefferson University, Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research. Chris is licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C and is admitted to the Supreme Court of the U.S. and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit.

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Pavel Khrimian, MBA

Co-Founder, Chief Business Officer

Pavel is a strategic healthcare entrepreneur specializing in developing external collaborations focused on biotechnology, precision medicine, digital health, and diagnostics within the life sciences industry. His 18 years of experience has included roles at OriGene, Suburban Hospital, BioReliance by SAFC, and MedImmune/AstraZeneca.

Pavel Khrimian, MBA

Co-Founder, Chief Business Officer

Biography

Pavel is a strategic healthcare entrepreneur specializing in developing external collaborations focused on biotechnology, precision medicine, digital health, and diagnostics within the life sciences industry. His 18 years of experience has included roles at OriGene, Suburban Hospital, BioReliance by SAFC, and MedImmune/AstraZeneca.

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Stanley Frankel, MD FACP

Senior Clinical Advisor & Interim Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Frankel joins Deka as a hematologist-oncologist with over 20 years of industry experience, including the research, clinical development, and commercialization of immuno-oncology and cellular therapies. He was previously senior vice president, global drug development for cell therapy at BMS following the acquisition of Celgene to oversee the filing and development of Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel) and Abecma® (idecabtagene vicleucel). Prior to BMS’ acquisition of Celgene, he was corporate vice president and the head of Immuno-Oncology & Cellular Therapy and Clinical Research and Development at Celgene, where he oversaw the clinical development collaborations for the Medimmune/AstraZeneca alliance for durvalumab, Celgene’s alliances with BeiGene for tislelizumab, and with Juno Therapeutics for development of cell-based therapies. Previously, he oversaw T-cell engager bispecific antibody development as vice president of clinical development at Micromet, including the development of Blincyto® (blinatumomab). He also served as Chief Medical Officer of Cytovia Therapeutics. He is a non-executive director at Precision Biosciences and a member of the board of directors at Myeloid Therapeutics. He serves on the scientific advisory board at Sutro Biopharma, Immunai, and Adagene. Dr. Frankel is also an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, New York. Dr. Frankel is a graduate of Harvard College and Northwestern University Medical School.

Stanley Frankel, MD FACP

Senior Clinical Advisor & Interim Chief Medical Officer

Biography

Dr. Frankel joins Deka as a hematologist-oncologist with over 20 years of industry experience, including the research, clinical development, and commercialization of immuno-oncology and cellular therapies. He was previously senior vice president, global drug development for cell therapy at BMS following the acquisition of Celgene to oversee the filing and development of Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel) and Abecma® (idecabtagene vicleucel). Prior to BMS’ acquisition of Celgene, he was corporate vice president and the head of Immuno-Oncology & Cellular Therapy and Clinical Research and Development at Celgene, where he oversaw the clinical development collaborations for the Medimmune/AstraZeneca alliance for durvalumab, Celgene’s alliances with BeiGene for tislelizumab, and with Juno Therapeutics for development of cell-based therapies. Previously, he oversaw T-cell engager bispecific antibody development as vice president of clinical development at Micromet, including the development of Blincyto® (blinatumomab). He also served as Chief Medical Officer of Cytovia Therapeutics. He is a non-executive director at Precision Biosciences and a member of the board of directors at Myeloid Therapeutics. He serves on the scientific advisory board at Sutro Biopharma, Immunai, and Adagene. Dr. Frankel is also an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, New York. Dr. Frankel is a graduate of Harvard College and Northwestern University Medical School.
John-Mumm-New

John Mumm, PhD

President & CEO

John has spent over 30 years researching and developing various technologies associated with IL-10. His work experience included various leadership roles at Anergen, Introgen Therapeutics, Bacterial BarCodes, Schering-Plough, Merck, Targenics, ARMO BioSciences, ACIR BioSciences, and MedImmune/AstraZeneca. John’s primary focus has been on discovery research at the interface between cancer biology and the adaptive immune response.

John Mumm, PhD

President & CEO

Biography

John has spent over 30 years researching and developing various technologies associated with IL-10. His work experience included various leadership roles at Anergen, Introgen Therapeutics, Bacterial BarCodes, Schering-Plough, Merck, Targenics, ARMO BioSciences, ACIR BioSciences, and MedImmune /AstraZeneca. John’s primary focus has been on discovery research at the interface between cancer biology and the adaptive immune response.