BlueSphere Bio, a clinical-stage company developing novel T cell-based therapies, has appointed immunotherapy veteran Alan Korman, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Korman, who has served on the company's Board of Directors since 2020, brings over three decades of experience in immunology and drug discovery to the role.
"We are honored to have Dr. Korman as our new Chief Scientific Officer. His leadership and esteemed track record pioneering transformational therapies will be instrumental in advancing our pipeline with an increased focus on TCR-based modalities, including bispecifics," said Keir Loiacono, Esq., Chief Executive Officer of BlueSphere Bio.
Dr. Korman expressed enthusiasm about his expanded role: "I am excited to evolve my role and further contribute to BlueSphere's future. As an original Board member, having observed BSB's early evolution and entry into clinical development, I am eager to lead its highly capable research team as we build a differentiated pipeline of clinically and commercially relevant assets."
Distinguished Career in Immunotherapy Research
Prior to joining BlueSphere, Dr. Korman served as Senior Vice President of Human Immunology at Vir Biotechnology. His previous positions include Vice President of Immuno-Oncology Discovery at Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and Vice President of Discovery Research at Medarex.
During his tenure at BMS and Medarex, Dr. Korman made significant contributions to cancer immunotherapy, leading the discovery of immune checkpoint blockade approaches. He directed the preclinical development of groundbreaking therapies Yervoy (ipilimumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab), as well as their combination regimen, which has transformed cancer treatment for countless patients.
Dr. Korman's academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Cellular and Developmental Biology from Harvard University, where he also earned an A.M. in Biology, following his A.B. in Biology from Brandeis University. He completed a fellowship at the Whitehead Institute at MIT and holds more than 30 patents, including his pivotal work on the first anti-CTLA-4 checkpoint inhibitor.
BlueSphere's Advancing Clinical Pipeline
BlueSphere Bio, the first translational sciences company formed by UPMC Enterprises, focuses on TCR T-cell therapies for high-risk leukemias. The company's lead clinical asset, BSB-1001, is currently enrolling patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), or myeloid dysplastic syndrome (MDS).
BSB-1001 targets the minor histocompatibility antigen-1 (HA-1) and represents the first clinical candidate in the company's TCX-101 program. This therapy is administered simultaneously with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The company has also identified three additional miHA-targeting TCRs for clinical development within the TCX-101 program, aiming to achieve best-in-class HLA coverage for these hematologic indications.
Expanding Treatment Options for AML
Beyond TCX-101, BlueSphere has broadened its AML therapy pipeline with the TCX-102 program, which targets mutant NPM-1, a driver mutation in AML. Unlike TCX-101, the TCX-102 program will utilize an autologous approach without stem cell transplant. The company expects to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for this program in the second quarter of 2025.
Proprietary TCR Discovery Platform
The foundation of BlueSphere's pipeline is its proprietary TCR discovery platform, which enables the identification of TCRs targeting intracellular antigens. This versatile platform can be applied to develop both TCR-based cell therapies and antibody-like molecules such as bi-specific T cell engagers.
While the company's current focus is oncology, the platform's flexibility could potentially extend to other therapeutic areas, positioning BlueSphere to address a wide range of medical needs through precision T cell-based approaches.
