Candel Therapeutics Announces Formation of New Research Advisory Board Comprised of Multiple Prominent Scientists and Clinicians including 2018 Nobel Laureate, James Allison, Ph.D.

NEEDHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Candel Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel immune-based cancer therapeutics, today announced the initial formation of its Research Advisory Board (RAB) with the appointment of James Allison, Ph.D. (MD Anderson Cancer Center), Henry Brem, M.D. (Johns Hopkins University), Roy S. Herbst, M.D., Ph.D. (Yale University), Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D. (Johns Hopkins University), Philip Kantoff, M.D. (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center), and Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D. (MD Anderson Cancer Center), who will join existing scientific advisor and board member Edward Benz, M.D. The RAB will advise the Candel executive team on its scientific research, clinical programs, and overall development strategy.

“We are grateful to work with such an eminent group of immunology, drug development, and oncology experts, each of whom are luminaries in their respective fields,” said Paul Peter Tak, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Candel Therapeutics. “We have always held that a diversity of viewpoints is a key pillar of success when tackling important challenges, and these world-class advisors will provide Candel with an extraordinary collective intelligence as we develop important medicines for people with cancer.”

“I am thrilled to participate in Candel’s Research Advisory Board and continue to serve as a scientific liaison to the board of directors,” said Dr. Benz. “Candel’s deep oncolytic viral immunotherapy expertise will complement the vast knowledge of cancer biology and clinical oncology of the research advisory board members as we work to realize the promise of new therapies.”

“Our esteemed advisors believe that Candel’s oncolytic viral immunotherapy candidates show significant promise. Of particular interest are very recent data from the HSV platform. We all look forward to working with Candel to develop additional pipeline candidates, including potential combination therapies with existing immuno-oncology drugs where Candel’s approach may help stimulate the immune system to generate better efficacy,” said Dr. Benz.

Research Advisory Board

James Allison, Ph.D., Regental Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology, the Olga Keith Wiess Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research, Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Research, and the Executive Director of the Immunotherapy Platform at MD Anderson Cancer Center and recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation

Edward Benz, M.D., President and CEO Emeritus, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Richard and Susan Smith Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Board of Directors, and executive director of the NIH sponsored Cure Sickle Cell initiative

Henry Brem, M.D., Harvey Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins University, Director of the Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, Professor of Oncology, Ophthalmology, and Biomedical Engineering and co-leader of the Brain Cancer Program for the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center

Roy S. Herbst, M.D., Ph.D., Ensign Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology) and Professor of Pharmacology, Chief of Medical Oncology, Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, Associate Cancer Center Director, Translational Science

Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D., Deputy Director of Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Dana and Albert "Cubby" Broccoli Professor of Oncology, Co-Director, Skip Viragh Center for Pancreas Cancer, Director, Cancer Convergence Institute at Johns Hopkins

Philip Kantoff, M.D., Chairman of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Professor of Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College

Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and Immunology in the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Scientific Director for the Immunotherapy Platform at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Co-Director of Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center

About Candel Therapeutics

Candel Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company advancing a late-stage pipeline of oncolytic viral immunotherapies that are designed to induce immunogenic cell death in cancer cells at the site of injection, unmasking tumor neo-antigens within an activated microenvironment, and leading to a systemic, durable immune response against the tumor and its distant metastases. The company’s viral platforms have been genetically engineered to minimize the impact on healthy tissue, while maximizing the patient’s immune response to fight the tumor. To learn more, visit www.candeltx.com.

Heidi Chokeir, Ph.D.
Managing Director
Canale Communications
heidi.chokeir@canalecomm.com
619-203-5391