Caribou Biosciences Appoints Tina Albertson, MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Officer
August 12 2024 - 8:00AM
Caribou Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRBU), a leading
clinical-stage CRISPR genome-editing biopharmaceutical company,
today announced the appointment of Tina Albertson, MD, PhD, as
chief medical officer. Dr. Albertson brings 15 years of experience
leading clinical drug development of cellular therapies and
biologics. She will be responsible for strategic leadership of the
clinical, regulatory, and medical affairs functions, and provide
medical and operational leadership of Caribou’s four clinical
programs for hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases. Dr.
Albertson will report to Rachel Haurwitz, PhD, Caribou’s president
and chief executive officer.
Dr. Albertson was most recently the chief medical officer and
head of development for Lyell Immunopharma, where she built and led
the clinical development function. At Lyell, she initiated two
Phase 1 clinical trials evaluating CAR-T cell and TIL therapies in
solid tumors. Previously, Dr. Albertson was vice president of
global drug development at Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol-Myers
Squibb company, where she led the global development of BREYANZI
(lisocabtagene maraleucel) from IND to filing of the initial BLA
that resulted in FDA approval in large B cell lymphoma. At Juno,
she led strategic development and execution of 9 global clinical
trials, including 4 registrational trials of BREYANZI in other B
cell malignancies and earlier lines of therapy. Dr. Albertson
previously served as medical director of clinical development and
experimental medicine at Seagen (formerly Seattle Genetics).
"Tina is an exceptional industry leader who brings significant
experience in strategic clinical development of CAR-T cell
therapies to Caribou. As a hematologist and oncologist, Tina has a
deep understanding of the potential impact an off-the-shelf CAR-T
cell therapy could have on patient treatment, outcomes, and reach,”
said Dr. Haurwitz. “Her expertise in driving global clinical and
regulatory strategies for cell therapies through all phases of
development, including pivotal trials, will be valuable as we
advance the development of our allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies in
hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases.”
A photo accompanying this announcement is available
at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6816bea9-5ab8-4389-9bd6-e610f2c9e410
Dr. Albertson earned her MD from Stanford University and
completed a clinical fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at
Seattle Children’s Hospital and residency in pediatrics at Denver
Children’s Hospital. She earned her PhD in cancer biology from
University of Washington and her BS in molecular biology from the
University of Oregon.
“Allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy holds immense promise as a
transformative treatment modality, offering the potential to
revolutionize the treatment landscapes for patients living with
cancer or autoimmune disease,” said Dr. Albertson. “I am excited to
join Caribou as the company is at the forefront of developing
off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapies and is working to deliver these
promising treatment options to patients who desperately need
them."
About Caribou’s novel next-generation CRISPR
platformCRISPR genome editing uses easily designed,
modular biological tools to make DNA changes in living cells. There
are two basic components of Class 2 CRISPR systems: the nuclease
protein that cuts DNA and the RNA molecule(s) that guide the
nuclease to generate a site-specific, double-stranded break,
leading to an edit at the targeted genomic site. CRISPR systems are
capable of editing unintended genomic sites, known as off-target
editing, which may lead to harmful effects on cellular function and
phenotype. In response to this challenge, Caribou has developed
CRISPR hybrid RNA-DNA guides (chRDNAs; pronounced “chardonnays”)
that direct substantially more precise genome editing compared to
all-RNA guides. Caribou is deploying the power of its Cas12a chRDNA
technology to carry out high efficiency multiple edits, including
multiplex gene insertions, to develop CRISPR-edited therapies.
About Caribou Biosciences, Inc.Caribou
Biosciences is a clinical-stage CRISPR genome-editing
biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing transformative
therapies for patients with devastating diseases. The company’s
genome-editing platform, including its Cas12a chRDNA technology,
enables superior precision to develop cell therapies that are
armored to potentially improve activity against disease. Caribou is
advancing a pipeline of off-the-shelf cell therapies from its CAR-T
platform as readily available treatments for patients with
hematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases. Follow us
@CaribouBio and visit www.cariboubio.com.
Forward-looking statements This press release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases,
you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,”
“will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,”
“intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,”
“estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negative
of these terms or other similar expressions, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these words. These
forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements
related to Caribou’s strategy, plans, and objectives, and
expectations regarding its clinical and preclinical development
programs. Management believes that these forward-looking statements
are reasonable as and when made. However, such forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual
results may differ materially from any future results expressed or
implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties
include, without limitation, risks inherent in the development of
cell therapy products; uncertainties related to the initiation,
cost, timing, progress, and results of Caribou’s current and future
research and development programs, preclinical studies, and
clinical trials; and the risk that initial, preliminary, or interim
clinical trial data will not ultimately be predictive of the safety
and efficacy of Caribou’s product candidates or that clinical
outcomes may differ as patient enrollment continues and as more
patient data becomes available; the risk that preclinical study
results observed will not be borne out in human patients or
different conclusions or considerations are reached once additional
data have been received and fully evaluated; the ability to obtain
key regulatory input and approvals; as well as other risk factors
described from time to time in Caribou’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and subsequent
filings. In light of the significant uncertainties in these
forward-looking statements, you should not rely upon
forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Except
as required by law, Caribou undertakes no obligation to update
publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Caribou Biosciences, Inc.
Contacts:Investors:Amy Figueroa,
CFAinvestor.relations@cariboubio.com
Media:Peggy Vorwald,
PhDmedia@cariboubio.com
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