Seattle Children's Hospital has launched BrainChild Bio to accelerate the development of CAR-T cell therapies for central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The company will operate as an independently managed corporation and has been granted an exclusive license to novel CAR-T cell technology for CNS tumors developed at Seattle Children’s. The initial equity funding has been provided by Seattle Children’s.
BrainChild Bio's primary focus will be on pediatric brain tumors, particularly diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), an aggressive and currently incurable form of childhood cancer that develops in the brainstem, accounting for an estimated 10% of childhood CNS tumors. The company's clinical programs will be accelerated by foundational work at Seattle Children's Therapeutics, including four clinical trials designed to validate the safety and confirm early efficacy of several different targets for CAR-T cell therapy in pediatric CNS tumors. Preliminary results are planned for presentation at a scientific forum in 2024.
CAR-T Innovation for CNS Tumors
BrainChild Bio aims to optimize CAR-T cell therapies for CNS tumors by advancing a next-generation CAR-T cell therapy platform that integrates synthetic technologies, including multiplex targeting and enhanced potency controls. This multi-dimensional approach includes:
- Multiple targets in a single CAR-T cell therapy to prevent tumor escape.
- Novel transgenes to increase potency that engage only when within the direct tumor environment.
- Switching technologies to control the CAR-T cells directly within the tumor.
- CAR-T design and manufacturing processes proven over many years at Seattle Children's Therapeutics.
- Novel CAR-T cell administration directly into the brain, minimizing systemic toxicities and enabling regular repeat dosing to ensure prolonged presence of CAR-T cells and durable efficacy.
Leadership and Vision
BrainChild Bio will be led by CEO Steve Brugger, who previously led Affinivax to a $3.3 billion acquisition by GSK in 2022, and CSO Dr. Michael Jensen, who has over 200 patents in cell and gene therapy. Dr. Jensen's previous work includes the development of Breyanzi, a CD19-targeting CAR-T cell therapy for lymphoma in adults.
"We are steadfast in our commitment to cracking the code of harnessing CAR-T cell technology in CNS tumors and we are uniquely positioned to do so," stated Dr. Michael Jensen, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of BrainChild Bio.
Clinical Development Strategy
Following the achievement of clinical proof-of-concept in DIPG, BrainChild Bio plans to seek pediatric registration for DIPG and then extend the therapeutic application of its novel CAR-T cell therapies to target additional difficult-to-treat pediatric and adult brain tumors, including glioblastoma and brain metastases. BrainChild Bio's lead CAR-T cell therapy has been evaluated in nearly 100 children to date.
