Lion Biotechnologies Appoints Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi as Chief Scientific Officer
23 June 2014 - 1:00PM
Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTCQB:LBIO), a biotechnology company
that is developing novel cancer immunotherapies based on tumor
infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), today announced that it has
appointed Laszlo Radvanyi, PhD, as its chief scientific officer
(CSO).
A renowned expert in tumor immunology and adaptive T-cell
therapy, Dr. Radvanyi will be responsible for developing novel
technologies to produce next-generation TILs with higher
therapeutic potency and reduced manufacturing costs. These
technologies will be based on two different platforms: one will use
clinically sorted TILs to enhance tumor response, and the other
will utilize genetically modified T-cells to modulate expression of
specific checkpoint receptors on the cell surface.
As CSO, Dr. Radvanyi will also research additional tumor
indications for TILs, including lung, cervical and breast cancer,
as the company continues to advance its clinical programs in
metastatic melanoma.
"Laszlo's expertise in adaptive T-cell therapy will be critical
to our efforts to expand clinical applications for TIL therapy,
while continuing to refine and enhance the underlying technology,"
said Manish Singh, PhD, Lion's chairman and chief executive
officer. "For the past decade, Laszlo has conducted extensive
research on TILs not only in the clinical setting, but also in
relation to various other factors that affect tumor immune
response. We are therefore thrilled to welcome him to our
leadership team as we continue to investigate the potential of TIL
therapy to treat, and potentially cure, a wide variety of solid
tumors."
Dr. Radvanyi has been conducting clinical research on TILs for
ten years, and has more than 25 years of experience studying
cellular and molecular immunology. Prior to joining Lion
Biotechnologies, he served as professor of melanoma and breast
medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX since
2005. There, he conducted clinical studies on TIL therapy in
metastatic melanoma, in addition to performing basic and
translational research to identify relevant T-cell therapy
biomarkers, enhance the anti-tumor function of expanded T-cells,
and improve manufacturing methods for eventual commercialization of
T-cell therapy.
Previously, Dr. Radvanyi served as senior scientist in the
immunology group at Sanofi-Pasteur in Toronto, where he focused on
antigen discovery and developing breast cancer vaccines. He has
consulted on immunotherapy development for a number of
pharmaceutical companies, and currently serves on the scientific
advisory board of Aethlon Medical, Inc. Dr. Radvanyi has authored
more than 87 manuscripts, is a reviewer for several journals in the
tumor immunology and immunotherapy space, and has sat on many
national and international grant review panels. He holds a PhD in
clinical biochemistry from the University of Toronto, and completed
a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School.
About Lion Biotechnologies
Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. is engaged in the development of
T-cells and engineered T-cells for the treatment of various
cancers. The company's lead product candidate is a ready-to-infuse
autologous T-cell therapy utilizing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
(TILs) for the treatment of patients with Stage IV metastatic
melanoma, and is based on a clinical CRADA with the National Cancer
Institute along with physician-sponsored investigational therapy at
the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer &
Research Institute. For more information, please visit
http://www.lionbio.com.
CONTACT: Investor Relations
The Trout Group
Gitanjali Jain Ogawa
646-378-2949
gogawa@troutgroup.com