Tolerance Bio – a biopharmaceutical company pioneering approaches to increasing healthspan by preserving, restoring, and manipulating the function of the thymus, the master regulator of immune tolerance – announced the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and the completion of its oversubscribed $20.2 million seed financing round.
Tolerance Bio is created an allogeneic, or “off the shelf,” induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based thymus cell therapy platform as well as pharmacological thymus therapies to address immune-mediated diseases. And these diseases are caused by abnormalities in immune tolerance, such as cancer, autoimmunity, transplant rejection, infections, immune deficiencies, and allergies.
The company also announced the completion of its seed financing round with the addition of Pacific 8 Ventures to the previously announced syndicate led by Columbus Venture Partners, with participation from Criteria Bio Ventures, Sessa Capital, BioAdvance, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and individual biotechnology investors.
To support the company’s research and development (R&D) initiatives, Tolerance Bio also announced the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
Tolerance Bio’s SAB features the following members:
1.) Dr. Holger Russ, Ph.D., is the Scientific Co-Founder of Tolerance Bio and its SAB Chairman. Dr. Russ is a pioneer in stem-cell-derived thymic and beta-cell generation. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the Diabetes Institute of the University of Florida. He is also an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Metabolism & Systems Research at the University of Birmingham in the UK.
2.) Dr. Megan Sykes, M.D., is the Michael J. Friedlander Professor of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology and Surgical Sciences (in Surgery) at Columbia University. She is the Director of the Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Director of Research for the Transplant Initiative, and Director of Bone Marrow Transplantation Research at Columbia University Medical Center.
3.) Dr. Camillo Ricordi, M.D., FNAI, is a Professor of Surgery, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami (UM), Florida, where he serves as Chief of the Division of Cellular Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Director of the Cell Transplant Center and Director Emeritus of the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI).
4.) Dr. Jerome Ritz, M.D.’s research focuses on immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, cellular therapies, and cancer immunotherapy. Dr. Ritz has co-authored more than 450 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to numerous presentations at leading scientific conferences. From 1996 until June 2024, Dr. Ritz was Executive Director of the Connell and O’Reilly Families Cell Manipulation Core Facility (CMCF) at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.
5.) Dr. Manasi Jaiman, M.D., MPH, is the global, mission-driven Chief Medical Officer of Aardvark Therapeutics and an expert on cell therapy clinical development.
6.) Dr. Roland Kolbeck, Ph.D., is co-owner and the Chief Scientific Officer of Spirovant and an expert on biological therapeutics in immune diseases. Dr. Kolbeck is an accomplished biotech executive specializing in respiratory sciences and drug discovery.
KEY QUOTES:
“The Tolerance Bio team is humbled by the exceptional advisors and investors supporting our mission to preserve, restore and manipulate the thymus to address immune diseases and potentially increase longevity. Each advisor is a leader in their respective fields, providing the Company with unbiased insights and guidance as we advance our programs in immunology, oncology, and beyond. We are incredibly excited by the opportunities lying ahead.”
– Francisco Leon, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tolerance Bio
