How AI is Changing the Antibody R&D Game
September 10, 2024
In this month’s episode of Evaluating Biopharma, host Ben Locwin and Tony Arulanandam, SVP and head of R&D at Cytovia Therapeutics, discuss how AI is impacting the antibody R&D field, how companies are using AI to generate better sequences and improve efficacy, and methods on approaching regulators and tackling regulatory challenges. Arulanandam also talks about how he got started in biotech, getting therapies to underserved patient populations, and his thoughts on the promise of antibodies to treat cancer, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases.
GUEST BIO
Tony Arulanandam, CEO and Founder, Synaptimmune Therapeutics and SVP and Head of R&D, Cytovia Therapeutics
Dr. Arulanandam has 20+ years of research and development experience in immunology, immuno-oncology, and gene therapy research from target identification through product registration. He is currently the CEO and Founder of Synaptimmune Therapeutics a Yale Ventures spinout newco focusing on the next generation of IDR-CAR-T cells for Cancers and Autoimmune Diseases. He is also the SVP and Head of R&D at Cytovia Therapeutics developing well differentiated Clinical and discovery stage Immune cell engager bispecific antibodies for Cancer and Autoimmune diseases. He is a co-founder and scientific advisor at NextPoint Therapeutics, an immuno-oncology checkpoint inhibitor company founded by MPM capital that has raised over $150 million in series A and B funding. He initiated newco research activities with Dr. Gordon Freeman out of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, pitching the science and partnering with MPM capital to start the company. He was also a venture advisor and consultant at Longwood Fund, evaluating and advising newco opportunities in the immunology and immuno-oncology space and was the founder of Tolereg therapeutics, a Treg cell therapy company targeting autoantibody-producing B cells in rare autoimmune diseases.
Prior to that, he was the SVP and head of research at Agilis therapeutics, a rare-disease gene therapy company acquired by PTC therapeutics, where he became the VP and head of gene therapy, nonclinical research. He held multiple discovery research and development postions, serving as a director and senior director at Ares-Serono, Biogen-Idec, Regeneron, and Alexion, working on multiple IND submissions in immunology and cancer indications including Dupilumab TM, Cemiplimab TM (PD-1 mAb) and SamalizumabTM (CD200 mAb). He authored 5 BLAs, including TysabriTM for multiple sclerosis (Biogen Idec), SarilumabTM for rheumatoid arthritis (Regeneron), DupilumabTM for atopic dermatitis and asthma (Regeneron), KanumaTM for LAL deficiency (Synageva/Alexion), and UpstazaTm gene therapy for aromatic acid decarboxylase deficiency (Agilis/PTC).
Dr. Arulanandam got his PhD in Immunology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst under the mentorship of Dr. Richard Goldsby and did his post-doctoral fellowship in T and NK cell signaling and CD2 structure function studies in the laboratory of Dr. Ellis Reinherz at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical school.
MODERATOR BIO
Ben Locwin, vice president of project solutions, Black Diamond Networks
Ben Locwin is a healthcare executive and industry expert. His work has involved bringing new and innovative medical treatments (drug therapies, vaccines and medical devices) to patient populations with unmet needs across a variety of indications and health conditions. He has also worked with investors on the ‘next big things’ in the industry. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, The Associated Press, Axios, NPR, and other top-tier media.