ABOUT LIFT BIOSCIENCES
LIfT Biosciences is now moving into clinic with its unique allogeneic first-in-class neutrophil-based cell therapies using our patented N-LIfT Platform.
LIfT is the only biotech company in the world with a Neutrophil Based Cell Therapy Platform (N-LIfT). The N-LIfT platform is flexible & unique which enables us to produce different types of Immuno-Modulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs) for a wide range of different purposes. Different IMANs can be developed to treat cancers, auto-immune diseases, neurological conditions and anti-microbial resistance.
LIfT has six comprehensive worldwide patents across sourcing, selecting and producing Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophils from both HSCs and iPSCs, and covering their product composition. As such, we own the worldwide right to produce neutrophils or myeloid progenitors from healthy donors with cancer killing ability.
“Targeted therapies often fail because tumours adapt, and they don’t. Our approach shifts the paradigm from cytotoxic persistence for a specific antigen on tumour cells to stimulating a comprehensive and lasting immune response in a non-antigen specific manner that prevents tumour escape”.
Alex Blyth, CEO
Alex’s mother and daughter playing shortly before his mother died of pancreatic cancer. Like most cancer patents, she died because of tumour escape from a fixed target therapy. LIfT BioSciences was founded to create a living adaping therapy that prevents tumour escape.
N-LIfT PLATFORM PIPELINE
LIfT BioSciences patented N-LIfT cell therapy platform has the versatility to produce a range of different Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs) through a variety of production technologies we have developed.
Our first-generation technology uses Haemopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) to produce IMANs with the source material and capacity to treat millions of patients. Our new second generation production technology now uses induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) with the aim of providing a limitless supply of IMANs even more cost-effectively. We also employ genetic engineering to armour and enhance our IMANs, including using Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) to accelerate IMANs tumour cell activation while retaining their ability to kill off-target cancer cells.
N-LIfT PLATFORM PIPELINE
Board of Directors
With over 20 years of biotech R&D experience building out drug pipelines and helping drive several multi-billion-dollar companies from start-up, Tony is one of Biotech’s most successful leaders. He is the current CEO of Evox Therapeutics Ltd, and was formerly CSO of Ablynx, Moderna Therapeutics, Alnylam and Tolerx Inc.
Antonin de Fougerolles
Chairman of the Board (acting)
Patrick is an experienced venture capitalist with a successful background in early-stage biotech companies and licensing deals with public and private companies. Formerly with BioMed Partners and Novartis. Patrick holds a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Basel and, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen. He also holds a degree as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Patrick Burgermeister
Board Director, Kizoo Technology Ventures
Jonathan Milner was appointed to LIfT's Board as an advisor in 2018, Founder of Abcam plc, Jonathan is an experienced entrepreneur and investor and is passionate about supporting UK life science and high-tech start-ups. He has provided considerable investment and support to over 60 companies and has assisted three technology companies to IPO on the London AIM Stock exchange.
Jonathan Milner
Investor & Board Advisor
Marco Gottardis has over 30 years of experience as a cancer research investigator in both biotech/large pharma and over 35 of years of experience overall in translational cancer research. Former JANSSEN VP of Oncology and Innovation and an expert in Immuno-Oncology where he licensed technologies and established allogenic cell therapy and ADC platforms. Former discovery and early development lead at BMS Oncology. Co-authored over 100 publications and is co-inventor on multiple patents.
Marco Gottardis
Non-Executive Director
Bo Rode Hansen has over two decades of transformational leadership experience involving general management, R&D, BD, financing, IPO and M&A in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. He was formerly CEO and President of Scandion Oncology A/S, prior to which he held several senior positions at Genevant Sciences, Roche and Santaris Pharma A/S, where he chaired the R&D Operational Committee. He is currently an Executive Advisor for Argo Bio Studio and acting CEO of Laigo Bio BV.
Dr Bo Rode Hansen PhD, MBA
Non-Executive Director
Matt considers Cell and Gene therapy to be his favourite piece of technology as it is only relatively recently that biotech and pharma companies have begun to utilise genome, immune system and regenerative abilities in their quests to improve human health and life expectancy. He sees that medicine continues to go beyond drugs in the way they are becoming increasingly tailored, precise and effective.
Matt Pierce
Board Director, Downing Ventures
Team
Alex founded LIfT in 2016 after losing his mother to pancreatic cancer tumour escape. Alex saw a new way to revolutionise cancer treatment, based on a new type of immuno-cell therapy that built on the uncompleted neutrophil infusion work by renown Immunologists, Professor Zheng Cui and the late Dr. Lloyd J. Old the founder of tumour immunology . Alex is a serial entrepreneur, inventor, economist & biologist with 20 years’ experience in disruptive healthcare. Alex helped to bring to market multiple first-in-class biopharma drugs including T-Vec the first oncolytic vaccine, Erbitux the first cancer drug to use a genetic test to guide use and Abraxane, one of the few drugs licensed for pancreatic cancer in the last decade.
Alex Blyth
CEO & Founder
Alfonso Quintás-Cardama is a Hematologist/Medical Oncologist with 25 years’ experience in anticancer agents, and deep experience in developing cellular therapies. His experience includes CMO for TCR² Therapeutics CAR-T platform, Head of Clinical Development in Cell Therapies for GSK and Global Clinical Lead for Kymriah at Novartis where he was instrumental in gaining approval for the world’s first cancer cell therapy. Former fellow at MD Anderson Cancer where he developed multiple cancer therapies that were granted FDA approval.
Alfonso Quintas Cardama
Chief Medical Officer
Over her 20-year career to date, Oxana has worked across multiply therapeutic modalities in both pharma and biotech settings, with significant experience in cell therapy and biologics for Oncology indications. Oxana was a founding scientist and head of discovery for immunotherapy company Adaptate Biotherapeutics, the spin out of cell therapy company Gamma Delta Therapeutics.
Oxana holds a PhD from Moscow State University.
Dr Oxana Polyakova
Chief Scientific Officer
Andrew is a pharmaceutical development and regulatory expert with over 35 years of experience in oncology and cell therapies. He has a wealth of experience at multiple managerial levels within pharmaceutical companies and most recently as Senior Vice President for Quality, Regulatory and CMC, for IO Biotech Limited, gaining significant experience in co-ordinating, planning and running a global development of ATMPs and biologics.
Andrew Willis
Chief Regulatory & Development Officer
Carla Carvalho BSc, MSc is a drug developer in the field of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) with experience in process development, GMP compliance, quality control and assurance as well as clinical trial regulations. Carla’s skills in so many aspects of ATMP development, testing and clinical trials led to a secondment to the EMA in 2017. This allowed her to gain first-hand experience of the processes within EMA in the awarding of MA which has proven so valuable to drug developers in allowing to prepare better during their clinical trials.
Prior to this, Carla’s has acted as a consultant to a number of publicly listed biotechnology companies including Autolus Ltd, INmune Bio Inc and Achilles Therapeutics.
Carla Carvalho
Director of Translational CMC
US-based finance executive with over 15 years of cross-Atlantic experience from Big Pharma to Biotech. Prior experience includes founding the Portfolio Management function in UCB Pharma, turning around businesses - including bringing a $300M/Sales US-based pharma company to an exit as its CFO, fundraising for startups, as well as supporting companies in M&As and IPOs as an I-Banker. CPA, CFA, Lawyer, by training.
Nir Naor
Chief Financial Advisor
Didier has more than 30 years of experience in clinical development, bringing extensive international experience in Clinical Research and Medical Affairs in oncology, immunology and hematology from various companies, including AstraZeneca (solid tumors}. and Glycostem Therapeutics, a clinical stage company involved in the development of cell therapy products, where he was Chief Medical Officer. Prior to that, Didier led the clinical development program of the Kiadis Pharma’s (now Sanofi) lead program, a cell therapy in various leukemias and genetic diseases, Didier graduated as a Medical Doctor from the University of Paris, France and obtained his Business Administration degree from ESSEC, Paris.
Didier Haguenauer
Global Clinical Director
Lugein combines her medical and cell therapy production expertise to help bring cell therapies from early process production to patient. Lugein obtained her Medical Degree from the University of Southampton. She completed her foundation training years in the NHS, gaining experience in a range of medical and surgical specialties. Through this practice, Lugein became fascinated in the potential of novel cellular therapies to revolutionise the future of medicine. Lugein subsequently obtained a Master’s degree on the Manufacture and Commercialisation of Stem Cells and Gene Therapies at UCL.
Lugein Al Khashlok
Clinical Development Manager
Aoife is a skilled cellular immunologist with almost ten years' experience across academic and biotech startup labs. Aoife will be focusing on elucidating the mechanisms of action of Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophils in the tumour microenvironment.
Aoife holds a PhD in immunology from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
Aoife McGinley
Head of Biology
Urvi is an experienced Biotechnologist with PhD in Biomedical and Life sciences with particular focus on cancer cell biology. Urvi has 6+ years of PD and Manufacturing ATMP products experience. Prior to LIfT, Urvi was Manufacturing Manager at TCR2 therapeutics where she delivered, multiple projects including GMP certification, Tech Transfer of autologous Cell therapy product by wearing multiple hats and working collaboratively with different teams.
Dr. Urvi Thacker
Principal Scientist, Process Development Lead
Samuel brings almost 10 years of experience within the start-up Biotech industry, working within both the scientific and operational teams. He has been instrumental in the set-up of three biotech start-ups and is an experienced immunologist. Samuel is focused on ensuring neutrophil cell therapy becomes a successful novel treatment.
Samuel holds a degree from Canterbury Christ Church University.
Samuel Florence
Principal Scientist
Dr Patel obtained his Ph.D in viral immunology from Cardiff University, Wales, after which he worked at GammaDelta Therapeutics, using his skills in cell and molecular biology to develop new platforms and gene engineering strategies. He is fascinated by basic scientific discoveries and how they can be translated into novel applications for immunotherapies.
Dr Mihil Patel
Principal Scientist, Cell & Gene Engineering Lead
Durva brings extensive technical expertise in process development, technology transfer and GMP manufacturing operations. She has almost 5 years’ experience within CMC CGT team at GSK developing new cell therapy platforms as well as process implementations with the aim to develop closed processes, improve cost of goods and enable wider patient access.
Durva Patel
Process Development Manager
Jakub gained experience in a professional research team IOCB Prague - Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences. He assisted in the research of G-Quadruplex structures in DNA/RNA and learned about the research techniques involved.
Jakub obtained a Master's degree in Manufacture and Commercialisation of Stem Cells at the University College London.
Jakub Lich
Associate Scientist
Advisors
James is our Principle Investigator for our planned PoC trial. He is a Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine, King’s College London, and Consultant in Medical Oncology, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals London. He holds a PhD in Cancer Biology from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, and a degree in biochemistry from the University of Oxford.
Professor James Spicer
Professor of experimental cancer medicine (KCL) and consultant in medical oncology
Holger Karsunky is the Co-Founder in Residence of Deep Valley Labs. He previously worked at Stemcentrx as Director of Cancer Biology. Former Senior Director for AbbVie Oncology. Former R&D Director for Cellerant Therapeutics, the only other company in the world to have successfully produced GMP grade neutrophil progenitors (through to PIII clinical trials for neutropenia).
Dr Holger Karsunky
Former Senior Director in Oncology for abbVie & Cellerant Therapeutics
Mark is a Clinical Immunopathologist and Director of the Centre for Cell, Gene & Tissue Therapeutics at the Royal Free Hospital and Professor of Cell & Tissue Therapy at UCL. He is a world-leader in the development of cell and tissue medicines for immunotherapy and transplantation and is an MHRA QP for release of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products, for use in clinical trials. Founder of Achilles Therapeutics, Cell Medica, InMune Bio
Professor Mark Lowdell
Director of Cellular Therapy at The Royal Free & Founder of INmuneBio & Achilles Therapeutics
Prof. John Campbell completed his PhD in Pathology at Edinburgh in 1995, and has over 30 years’ experience developing cellular therapeutics in the academic, industrial and healthcare sectors.
He led manufacturing development of cellular therapeutics at Miltenyi Biotec and specialises in transferring immune cell processes from lab to first-in-human clinical trials.
Professor John Campbell
Director Cell & Advanced Therapeutics SNBTS (NHS)
Dr Pinato is a Medical Oncologist & Director of Developmental Cancer Therapeutics, Imperial College
Clinician Scientist and Consultant Medical Oncologist at Imperial College, London. David leads a translational research program focusing on the early clinical implementation of novel experimental anticancer therapies to the clinic, with particular emphasis on anti-cancer immunotherapy. He has led the inception of a portfolio of first-in-class studies. Expert in translational oncology within the specific setting of early phase clinical trials.
Dr David Pinato
Medical Oncologist & Director of Developmental Cancer Therapeutics, Imperial College
Professor of Experimental Immunology, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin (TCD). He is Academic Director of Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI) Co-founder of Opsona Therapeutics, TriMod Therapeutics and Parvalis Tx, biotech companies focused on developing immunotherapeutics for inflammatory diseases and cancer.
Professor Kingston Mills
Professor of Experimental Immunology &
Dir. Trinity Biomedical Sci. Inst.