KiraGen Bio

Looking forward to co-hosting the Boston stop of the 2024 Founder-led Biotech Tour tomorrow, brought to you by Pillar VC. See everyone there!

Congratulations to KiraGen Bio’s Head of ImmunoInformatics, Tessa Green, on her latest preprint! During her PhD, Tessa was an instrumental contributor to an open-source, Python-based modular framework for the analysis of large-scale single cell perturbation experiments, dubbed pertpy (GitHub link in comments). Her work focused on using #machinelearning to identify T/B cell gene expression signatures in the tumor microenvironment of triple-negative breast cancer to predict clinical outcomes. This is just a glimpse as to how leveraging machine learning for biological predictions can push the boundaries of engineering next-generation therapeutics. We are lucky to have her on the team and look forward to seeing what she can accomplish building out the KiraGen ML pipeline! https://lnkd.in/e656G9bN

A great article featuring Carl June, the Father of CAR-T, was just published. It highlights his optimism for CAR-T therapies targeting Glioblastoma (our lead indication at KiraGen Bio) and reinforces his confidence in the future of ex vivo cell therapies. There's been much discussion lately about the emergence of in vivo therapies soon to enter the clinic, and how they'll coexist with ex vivo approaches. June, like us at KiraGen, believes both will play important roles for the foreseeable future. Ex vivo editing likely will always have some key advantages: -Larger payloads -No off-target cell toxicity concerns -Lower efficacy burden The technology for both approaches evolves in tandem. As in vivo editing improves, ex vivo products will likewise evolve to harbor more complex circuits and even higher multiplex edits. The result? Two distinct classes of cell therapies, each with its own pros and cons, providing oncologists with a diverse toolkit to combat cancer. At KiraGen, we're excited to be at the forefront of ex vivo innovation, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in cell therapy. Stay tuned for updates as we build upon such exciting recent clinical success for patients in need! (Credit for thoughts above: Jacob Kimmel and Dr. Shelby) https://lnkd.in/eKhEGr32

I am thrilled to officially share that I have been named a Blavatnik Fellow in Life Science Entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School for the 2024-2025 program year! This incredible opportunity will allow me to advance KiraGen Bio’s mission of redefining CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors, starting with glioblastoma multiforme. The Blavatnik Fellowship, supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, offers HBS alumni and Harvard-affiliated postdoctoral researchers a unique chance to drive new ventures in life science technologies. Over the next 12 months, I will collaborate with leading biotech and biomedical experts, receive invaluable mentorship, and join a community of entrepreneurs who have collectively raised over $520 million to revolutionize the business of science. Congrats are also in store for the rest of my cohort: Stephen Linderman, MD, PhD, Andrew Thomson, Somani Patnaik, and Narek Dshkhunyan!!! https://lnkd.in/eGX2nJFK