CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elstar Therapeutics, a company fulfilling the promise of precision cancer immunotherapy through a powerful new approach to generating multi-functional therapies, announced the formation of its scientific advisory board, comprised of leaders in immunology and cancer research. Additionally, Elstar announced the publication of a key patent application underpinning its UniTI™ technology platform. This patent describes a novel approach for generating bispecific therapeutic human antibodies.

“While we believe our UNiTI platform is inherently positioned to be part of the cure for cancer, the expertise and guidance of our newly-formed scientific advisory board will be integral to Elstar’s success. The four distinguished researchers who have joined our Board share Elstar’s passion to overcome barriers that have limited the success of other immunotherapies,” said Steve Arkinstall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Elstar Therapeutics. “In order to bring treatments to patients as quickly as possible, we are looking forward to working with our SAB and are grateful for their commitment to the Company’s mission.”

The board members include Arlene Sharpe, Ken Smith, Mark J. Smyth, and E. John Wherry.

“Elstar is aiming to engage the immune system to attack cancer cells in an innovative, unique way, with real potential to eliminate cancer cells. The ability to create dual-targeting molecules with modular effector mechanisms with a standard, scalable manufacturing process is something this space needs in order to make real strides in the fight against cancer, and I am excited to be a part of that effort,” said Dr. Arlene Sharpe.

Elstar Therapeutics Scientific Advisory Board members are:

• Arlene Sharpe, MD, PhD is the George Fabyan Professor of Comparative Pathology, Head of Division of Immunology and the Interim Co-Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, the Leader, Cancer Immunology Program at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Co-Director, Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, HMS and BWH. Arlene has published over 300 papers and was listed by Thomson Reuters as one of the most Highly Cited Researchers (top 1%) in 2014 and 2015 and a Citation Laureate in 2016. She received the William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Tumor Immunology in 2014, the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize in 2017 for her contributions to the discovery of the PD-1 pathway and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2018 in recognition of her distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Arlene earned her MD and PhD degrees from Harvard Medical School and completed her residency in Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
• Ken Smith, FRACP, PhD, FMedSci is a Professor of Medicine and Head of Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge. Ken’s laboratory studies basic immunological mechanisms and how defects in regulatory control of the immune system can lead to autoimmunity and alter defense against infection. Ken trained in nephrology and clinical immunology with an interest in autoimmune disease at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His PhD at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute examined aspects of B cell immunology.
• Mark J. Smyth, PhD, FAHMS, FAA is a Senior Scientist and Immunology Coordinator, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Brisbane, Australia. For his work, Mark received the William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Tumor Immunology in 2002 and the Brupbacher Prize for Cancer Research in 2007. He is the highest cited immunologist in Australia and is a Senior Editor and Advisory Board Member for Cancer Research and Science, respectively. Mark completed his PhD in 1988 and trained at the NIH National Cancer Institute, before commencing his independent research career in Australia.
• E. John Wherry, PhD is the Richard and Barbara Schiffrin President's Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and Director, Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania. In 2014, John received the distinguished Alumni Award from the Thomas Jefferson University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and in 2016 the Cancer Research Institute’s Frederick W. Alt Award for New Discoveries in Immunology. He has over 175 publications in top international journals including Nature, Science, Nature Immunology, Immunity, and the Journal of Experimental Medicine. His publications have been cited over 34,000 times. Dr. Wherry received his PhD at Thomas Jefferson University in 2000, then went on to do his postdoctoral research at Emory University, where he trained with Dr. Rafi Ahmed.

About Elstar Therapeutics, Inc.

Elstar Therapeutics is fulfilling the promise of precision cancer immunotherapy through a powerful new approach to generating antibody-based, multi-functional therapeutics.

Armed with a unique approach to engaging multiple immune mechanisms, Elstar enables patients to harness their own body to fight cancer.

Elstar’s Universal Targeted Immunotherapy (UniTI™) platform is positioned to overcome barriers that are limiting the full potential of other promising immunotherapeutic approaches.

“Our motivation…to be part of the cure for cancer.”

For more information visit www.elstartherapeutics.com