Vicero, Inc. Appoints Leading Oncologists to Scientific Advisory Board
Vicero, Inc., a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next-generation VINCOBODIES for immune-mediated diseases, has announced the appointment of two renowned oncologists and immunotherapy experts, Sumit Subudhi, M.D., Ph.D., and Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D., to its Scientific Advisory Board. These appointments signal a significant step forward as Vicero continues to advance its innovative VINCOBODY platform aimed at overcoming the limitations of conventional antibody combinations.
Expert Leadership to Guide Cancer Immunotherapy Advancements
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Subudhi and Dr. Ribas to our Scientific Advisory Board,” said Vikram Kansra, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Vicero. “Their groundbreaking contributions to cancer immunotherapy, paired with their extensive experience in clinical development, will be crucial as we continue advancing our VINCOBODY platform. Their insights will be invaluable in optimizing our bispecific PD-1/CTLA-4 program, which is designed to deliver powerful anti-tumor effects while minimizing immune-related adverse events, ultimately benefiting patients in need of better cancer treatment options.”
Dr. Sumit Subudhi: Expert in Immunology and Cancer Treatment
Dr. Sumit Subudhi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A trained medical oncologist and immunologist, Dr. Subudhi has a deep understanding of both the clinical and research aspects of cancer immunotherapy. He is currently the principal investigator of several biomarker-rich clinical trials focused on immune checkpoint therapies, bispecific T cell engagers, and vaccines.
Dr. Subudhi’s translational research centers on the immunological mechanisms that drive anti-tumor responses and therapy-related toxicities. His primary objective is to optimize cancer treatments to maximize efficacy while minimizing side effects for patients, particularly those with advanced prostate cancer. He is also the lead investigator for Prostate Researching Translational Endpoints Correlated to Response (PORTER) clinical trials, which are sponsored by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) and the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). Through his work, Dr. Subudhi has identified mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapies and potential biomarkers that could predict treatment responses.
In his role at Vicero, Dr. Subudhi expressed excitement about the opportunity to contribute to the company’s innovative efforts. “I am excited to join Vicero’s Scientific Advisory Board and help guide the team in developing novel cancer immunotherapy approaches,” said Dr. Subudhi. “The company’s unique platform has the potential to address significant unmet needs in oncology, especially in difficult-to-treat cancers where current therapies have limited efficacy.”
Dr. Antoni Ribas: Pioneer in Cancer Immunotherapy and Clinical Development
Dr. Antoni Ribas is a leading figure in cancer immunotherapy and serves as a professor of medicine, surgery, and molecular and medical pharmacology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He also holds key leadership roles as the director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA.
Dr. Ribas has been at the forefront of developing several FDA-approved immunotherapy agents, including the first anti-PD-1 antibody, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), and the anti-CTLA-4 antibody tremelimumab (Imjudo). His work has significantly shaped the landscape of cancer immunotherapy, particularly in melanoma. In addition to his work in checkpoint inhibitors, Dr. Ribas has contributed to clinical trials examining the effectiveness of BRAF and MEK inhibitor combinations, which are used to treat melanoma and other cancers.
Dr. Ribas has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the AACR Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Award, the William B. Coley Award from the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), and the AACR-CRI Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology. He is also a member of the US National Academy of Medicine and has received multiple NCI Outstanding Investigator Awards. His clinical research focuses on adoptive cell transfer therapy, T-cell receptor-engineered lymphocytes, and studying resistance to melanoma therapies.
Reflecting on his appointment to Vicero’s Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Ribas shared, “Vicero’s novel approach to targeting the tumor microenvironment represents a tremendous opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies and address the long-standing challenge of balancing efficacy with safety. I’m excited to collaborate with such a strong team of accomplished drug developers, and I look forward to helping finalize the clinical strategy to advance their promising platform into the clinic.”
VINCOBODIES: A Revolutionary Platform for Cancer Immunotherapy
Vicero’s VINCOBODY platform is designed to create multi-specific molecules that target multiple immune checkpoints simultaneously, such as PD-1 and CTLA-4, to provide more effective and safer treatment options for cancer patients. Traditional cancer immunotherapies often rely on single-target antibodies, but Vicero’s VINCOBODIES aim to overcome the limitations of these conventional approaches by targeting multiple pathways at once, thus increasing their anti-tumor potential while reducing the risk of adverse effects.
At the heart of Vicero’s mission is to bring new, more effective therapies to patients with cancers that are resistant to current treatments. With Dr. Subudhi’s expertise in cancer immunology and Dr. Ribas’ vast experience in immunotherapy clinical development, Vicero is poised to make significant strides in advancing these therapies to the clinic and ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Conclusion: Driving the Future of Cancer Treatment
Vicero’s appointment of Dr. Sumit Subudhi and Dr. Antoni Ribas to its Scientific Advisory Board represents a strategic move to strengthen the company’s leadership in cancer immunotherapy. Both experts bring invaluable experience and knowledge in cancer research and clinical development that will guide the company as it works to optimize its innovative VINCOBODY platform.
With their guidance, Vicero is well-positioned to enhance the efficacy and safety of cancer treatments, address unmet medical needs, and ultimately provide better therapeutic options for patients. The company’s commitment to developing multi-specific therapies and improving immune-mediated cancer treatments is set to make a lasting impact on the field of oncology.
About Vicero
Vicero is a preclinical biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of next-generation multivalent VHH VINCOBODIES to conquer unmet medical needs in cancer and immunology. The VINCOBODY product engine is proprietary VHH modular technology that enables Vicero to build best in class IO and ADC therapeutics with the potential to address unmet need in the immuno-oncology solid tumor market. Our team of experienced scientists and drug developers has delivered more than 20 life extending therapies to patients in need. For more information, please visit us at www.vicerobio.com or our LinkedIn page.
