Innovative Targeting Solutions and Former Amgen Executive Team up to Launch A2 Biotherapeutics with a $57 Million Series A
November 5, 2019
Vancouver BC – November 5th, 2019 – Innovative Targeting Solutions (ITS) today announced that, A2 Biotherapeutics, Inc., co-founded in 2018 with Alexander Kamb, former SVP of Research at Amgen Inc., has emerged after operating in stealth mode for the last 18 months.
With resources from a $57 million Series A financing, A2 Biotherapeutics is addressing the central problem of cancer research – targeted killing of tumor cells vs. normal cells. Traditional approaches require tumor specific antigens to target therapies, the A2 Biotherapeutics’ approach incorporates a dual targeting strategy that targets cancer cells based on both what they do and, just as importantly, what they do not express and represents a paradigm shift on how to approach the treatment of solid tumors.
The HuTARG platform exploits V(D)J recombination, nature’s most powerful diversity generating system to create fully human repertoires of antibodies and T-cell receptors with greater than 1 billion specificities. In addition to providing broad epitope coverage for drug discovery, the system can also be applied for the affinity maturation of drug candidates. Because the system is mammalian based, it allows for a direct assessment of CARs optimized for expression and selectivity on the mammalian cell membrane from initial binder to optimization of the final drug candidate. “The HuTARG platform as a cell-based engineering platform is ideally positioned for engineering novel cell therapies. We believe the HuTARG platform has transformative potential and are excited by A2 Biotherapeutics’ vision and the amazing team that has been assembled to exploit it.”, said Paul Kang, CSO of Innovative Targeting Solutions.
A2 Biotherapeutics represents the 8th pharma/biotech collaboration for ITS and highlights the technology’s versatility as a protein engineering platform.
About Innovative Targeting Solutions Inc.
Founded in 2008, Innovative Targeting Solutions Inc. is a privately-held company that has developed a next generation protein engineering platform for the generation of fully human antibody and T cell receptor based therapeutics using its proprietary HuTARG technology. The HuTARG technology is a fully mammalian technology that generates diversity in vitro via RAG1/RAG2 mediated V(D)J recombination. For more information, visit www.innovativetargeting.com
Media Contact:
Paul Kang, CSO
Innovative Targeting Solutions
pkang@innovativetargeting.com
778-825-0172
About A2 Biotherapeutics Inc.
A2 Biotherapeutics’ mission is to beat cancer via tumor-specific targeting by addressing targets gained or lost in cancer cells. The Company is focused on addressing the next frontier in cell therapy cancer treatment, solid tumors.
A2 Biotherapeutics leverages a powerful platform designed specifically for cell therapies that enables identification of rare binders derived from antibodies or TCRs, precision binder engineering and optimization, and modular design. A component of the platform, the HuTARG technology, is licensed from its collaborator and co-founder, Innovative Targeting Solutions (Vancouver, British Columbia), with A2 Biotherapeutics having rights of exclusivity to certain MHC targets and MHC/non-MHC proteins. For more information, visit www.a2bio.com.