Repertoire Immune Medicines has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Robert Andtbacka, MD, CM, FACS, FRCSC, as Chief Medical Officer, positioning the biotechnology company for its transition to clinical-stage operations. The appointment comes as Repertoire prepares to initiate its first-in-human clinical trial of RPTR-1-201, a T-cell receptor (TCR) bispecific development candidate targeting multiple solid tumor types.
Strategic Leadership Addition
Dr. Andtbacka brings over two decades of clinical, strategic, and operational leadership in oncology drug development to Repertoire. "We are thrilled to welcome Robert to Repertoire's leadership team at this pivotal stage in our evolution," said Torben Straight Nissen, Chairman and CEO of Repertoire and Executive Partner at Flagship Pioneering. "His extensive experience in advancing novel therapies through clinical development will be invaluable as we transition to a clinical-stage company."
The appointment reflects Repertoire's commitment to advancing its pipeline of T cell-targeted immune medicines from research to clinical development. Dr. Anthony Coyle, President and Head of Research and Development, noted that "with Robert joining the organization, we are well positioned to advance these molecules from research to clinical development."
RPTR-1-201 Clinical Development Progress
RPTR-1-201 represents Repertoire's first TCR bispecific development candidate to enter clinical development. The therapeutic targets a novel peptide selectively presented on multiple solid tumors, potentially enabling treatment across a broad range of cancers. The candidate was discovered and optimized using Repertoire's proprietary DECODE platform.
Following recent positive interactions with regulatory authorities, Repertoire plans to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in multiple cancer indications. RPTR-1-201 is currently progressing through IND-enabling studies as the company prepares for this clinical milestone.
Extensive Industry Experience
Dr. Andtbacka is an internationally recognized clinical expert and seasoned biopharma executive with more than 20 years of experience spanning therapeutic research and development, academic leadership, and company-building. Most recently, he served as Chief Medical Officer at HiFiBiO Therapeutics, where he oversaw clinical and strategic development of the company's immuno-oncology and autoimmune disease pipelines.
Prior to HiFiBiO, Dr. Andtbacka served as Chief Medical Officer of Seven and Eight Biopharmaceuticals, leading the development of novel immunotherapies, oncolytic viruses, and antibody drug conjugates. He played a key role in the acquisition of clinical assets by Eikon Therapeutics during his tenure.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Andtbacka held academic and clinical leadership roles as a tenured professor in surgical oncology at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, where he served as Co-Director of the Melanoma and Cutaneous Oncology Program and Director of the Melanoma Clinical Research Program. He also served as Chief Medical Officer at Vestan Medical Imaging, overseeing preclinical and clinical development.
Academic and Clinical Credentials
Dr. Andtbacka holds an MD, CM from McGill University, where he also completed a residency in General Surgery, followed by a fellowship in Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a board-certified surgeon, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC).
"I'm honored to join Repertoire at such an exciting time in its journey," said Dr. Andtbacka. "I'm particularly inspired by Repertoire's bold vision to harness the immune system with precision. I look forward to working with this exceptional team to advance groundbreaking T cell-targeted therapies for patients with limited treatment options."
Platform Technology and Pipeline
Repertoire Immune Medicines is discovering the unique immune codes that determine how we maintain health and respond to disease. The company's proprietary DECODE platform uniquely elucidates the entire immune synapse, providing a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between T cell receptors and their cognate antigenic epitopes. Repertoire is translating these insights into new and potentially transformative T cell-targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Founded in 2019 by Flagship Pioneering, Repertoire operates from sites in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Zurich, with a focus on developing a pipeline of T cell-based immune medicines leveraging their deep expertise in T cell biology.
