Carisma Therapeutics Names Dr. Robert Petit as Chief Scientific Officer
PHILADELPHIA, June 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Carisma Therapeutics Inc., a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative immunotherapies based on engineered macrophages, today announced Robert Petit, Ph.D., as its Chief Scientific Officer.
"We are excited to welcome Robert to Carisma. His breadth and depth of immunology and oncology R&D experience will be a tremendous asset to the company," said Steven Kelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carisma Therapeutics. "Our platform technology has multiple applications, both within oncology and in other fields of unmet medical need. We are looking forward to Robert's insights and guidance as we continue to build our research and clinical development programs."
Dr. Petit is an accomplished immuno-oncology scientist, innovator and drug developer, and a C-level executive experienced at building and leading scientific, translational, and clinical development teams in public and private companies. He co-founded an immuno-oncology program in the early days of cellular therapy, establishing academic IL-2 LAK, and TIL cell treatment programs spanning discovery, translational medicine, IND filing and all phases of clinical development. He has been integral to 7 NDA/BLA/EMA filings in the immuno-oncology space and was part of the pioneering team at BMS, establishing the first checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Dr. Petit most recently served as Chief Scientific Officer of Advaxis, Inc., contributing to their successful NASDAQ IPO, raising significant capital, and evolving their platform technology to leverage both personal and shared neoantigens.
"I am excited to join the Carisma team and contribute toward realizing the tremendous potential of the CAR-macrophage technology, starting with the lead program in Her-2 overexpressing solid tumors and evolving the technology broadly toward building a pipeline of assets, each harnessing the unique biology of macrophages to extend the effects of engineered cell therapy through presentation of additional tumor antigen targets to the patient's immune system," said Dr. Petit. "Immunologically, I see great promise in engaging the patient's innate and adaptive immune system to supplement and extend the direct killing activity of engineered macrophages to address complex diseases."
About Carisma Therapeutics
Carisma Therapeutics Inc. is biopharmaceutical company developing a differentiated cell therapy platform focused on engineered macrophages. The first applications of the platform are autologous chimeric antigen receptor macrophages for the treatment of solid tumors. Carisma Therapeutics is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, please see the Company's website at www.carismatx.com.
Media Contact:
Deirdre Purdy for Carisma Therapeutics
Deirdre@0to5.com
914-819-7870
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SOURCE Carisma Therapeutics Inc.
