SOUTH CAROLINA – October 21, 2024 – Torpedo Bio, from Charleston, S.C., is developing technology to address the unmet need of efficacious and safe cellular immunotherapy for solid tumors. Current chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies have had outstanding results in liquid tumors, such as leukemias and lymphomas. Unfortunately, liquid tumors are only 10% of total cancer cases and CAR T cells do not work well for solid tumors. Torpedo Bio’s approach is to use engineered anti-tumor regulatory T cells, which have the potential to be a much-needed efficacious and safe treatment for solid tumors.
Solutions
Torpedo Bio’s highly innovative technology addresses the critical need for effective and safe cellular immunotherapy for solid tumors. While current CAR T cell therapies have shown remarkable success in liquid tumors like leukemias and lymphomas, these represent only 10% of all cancer cases. CAR T cells have limited efficacy against solid tumors such as lung cancers. The approach of using engineered anti-tumor regulatory T cells holds the potential to provide a much-needed, effective and safe treatment for lung cancer and other solid tumors.
Strengths
- High Accomplished and Synergistic Team:
- The team engineered Tregs with anti-tumor properties, created proprietary CAR components, and enhanced T cell engraftment and persistence. The CEO and co-founder of ImmuVia is also leading lung cancer immunotherapy research.
- Innovative Technology:
- Conventional CAR T cells often fail with lung cancer due to poor penetration or exhaustion. Engineered Tregs, however, effectively accumulate in and persist within lung tumors. The approach produces immune cells that maintain tumor infiltration, acquire cytotoxic and inflammatory properties and directly target tumors while transforming the microenvironment to drive eradication.
- Commitment to the Vision:
- In one year, the goal is to finalize proof-of-concept data and file additional patents. In five years, the plan is to submit and secure an IND application. In ten years, the aim is to demonstrate safety and efficacy, license the technology and expedite FDA approval.
Meet the Co-Founders
From left to right:
Leonardo M.R. Ferreira, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor | MUSC
Nathan G. Dollof, Ph.D. – Associate Professor | MUSC, Founder | Leukogene Therapeutics, CTO | Zucker Institute for Innovation Commercialization
Richard T. O’Neil, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor | MUSC
Iosif M. Gershteyn – CEO | ImmuVia