RegCell Appoints Leading T-Cell Therapy Expert Steven B. Kanner, Ph.D., to Board of Directors

OSAKA, Japan, April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RegCell, a leader in epigenetic reprogramming of disease-causing effector T-cells to create antigen-specific regulatory T-cells, today announced the appointment of Steven B. Kanner, Ph.D., to the company's Board of Directors. Dr. Kanner's wealth of expertise in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, spanning more than three decades and with a deep focus on immunology, brings invaluable leadership to RegCell as it advances the promising potential of its regulatory T-cell platform toward the clinic in 2024.

"I am thrilled to be part of a company at the forefront of regulatory T-cell therapies with a robust pipeline that holds promise in addressing a myriad of diseases without compromising the body's immune system integrity," said Dr. Kanner. "I am eager to help drive forward RegCell's innovative cell reprogramming platform that harnesses the natural biology of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to ultimately offer enhanced therapeutic solutions to patients in dire need."

"We are honored to have Steve Kanner join our Board of Directors," remarked Professor Shimon Sakaguchi, co-founder of RegCell. "Dr. Kanner's profound understanding of immunology comes at a pivotal juncture for RegCell as we advance our clinical development and expand our Precision Epigenetic Reprogramming Platform. His expertise will undoubtedly be instrumental in helping us make significant progress in our mission."

Dr. Kanner currently serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Caribou Biosciences, Inc., where he is responsible for the company's therapeutic discovery, research, translational, and development activities. Prior to joining Caribou, Steve was Vice President and Head of Biology at Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, leading a department in the discovery of RNAi therapeutics for oncology. Preceding Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, he served in various positions of increasing responsibility in both oncology and inflammation drug discovery at Astex Pharmaceuticals, Agensys/Astellas, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Steve currently serves on the Board of Directors at Specific Biologics. He has authored over 90 publications in both peer-reviewed journals and books and is an inventor of numerous U.S. and foreign patents. Steve received his bachelor's degree in genetics from the University of California, Berkeley, and earned his Ph.D. in immunology and microbiology from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His post-doctoral studies at the University of Virginia were funded by a National Institutes of Health fellowship award grant.

Backed by leading institutional and corporate investors hailing from Japan, RegCell emerges as the next-generation global life science enterprise at the forefront of regulatory T-cell therapies. Founded on the groundbreaking discovery of regulatory T-cells by esteemed scientist Professor Shimon Sakaguchi, RegCell embodies his visionary quest to translate this breakthrough into a pioneering therapeutic platform. Central to RegCell's innovation is its 'Precision Epigenetic Reprogramming' platform, which entails the epigenetic reprogramming of CD4+ T-cells into regulatory T-cells. These reprogrammed cells mirror crucial epigenetic traits of natural regulatory T-cells and harbor T-cell receptors inherently predisposed towards disease-causing antigens, including unidentified antigens, which are fundamental elements in numerous autoimmune disorders.

About RegCell

RegCell is a biotechnology company at the forefront of developing advanced therapies that redefine the management of autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection. Based on pioneering science, RegCell's innovative 'Precision Treg Reprogramming' technology embodies the future of personalized medicine. RegCell proprietary best-in-class platform allows the generation of epigenetically reprogrammed antigen-specific regulatory T-cells (Tregs) that are stable in vivo and maintain a high degree of functionality (S/F-Epigen-Tregs) to restore immune tolerance and ultimately reverse autoimmune disorders as well as the limitations with transplantation. With its roots in Japan and a global vision, RegCell is committed to becoming a leader in the life sciences industry, bringing transformative treatments to patients around the world.

For additional information, please contact: https://regcell.jp/en/

Media Contact:
Ignacio Guerrero-Ros, Ph.D.
Russo Partners LLC
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SOURCE RegCell