Regulatory T cell therapies (Abata Therapeutics, Inc.)

Dr. Dragone’s deep experience in autoimmune disease and drug development comes as the company advances its lead program, ABA-101, in progressive MS toward an IND; Company is on track to enter the clinic in 2024 WATERTOWN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Abata Therapeutics, a company focused on translating the biology of regulatory T cells (Tregs) into transformational medicines for patients with severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced the appointment of Leonard “Lenny” Dragone, M.D., Ph.D., as its new chief medical officer. Dr. Dragone brings to Abata extensive experience in preclinical and early clinical development and autoimmune medicine. He will play a crucial role in advancing the development of Abata's programs in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes (T1D). Abata cofounder and Third Rock Ventures Venture Partner Richard Ransohoff, M.D., has been the company’s interim CMO since its founding, and with Dr. Dragone’s appointment, Dr. Ransohoff will move into an advisory role. “Lenny's wealth of knowledge and experience in drug development and autoimmune disease, including MS, adds outstanding capabilities to Abata as we work to maximize the potential of our engineered Treg platform and lead programs,” said Samantha Singer, M.S., M.B.A., Abata president and chief executive officer. “Lenny’s dedication to improving patient outcomes aligns with our core values and will build on the foundation Richard and his team have built. We are incredibly grateful to Richard and confident that Lenny’s contributions will have a lasting impact on our company and the patients we serve." Dr. Dragone commented: “Abata has built a powerful platform that takes full advantage of the potential of Treg cells engineered with a tissue-specific TCR to treat diseases such as MS and T1D. I was drawn to Abata as the company’s approach to Treg cell therapy represents the cutting-edge of innovation with autologous Tregs: the use of autoantigen-specific TCRs to fully engage Tregs and a design focusing on resistance to pro-inflammatory triggers. I’m excited to be working with an incredibly strong and experienced team where I can help make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients living with autoimmune conditions.” Dr. Ransohoff commented: “We are at an exciting and important time as an organization as we advance our progressive MS program toward an IND and, eventually, into clinical development. Lenny’s expertise as a drug developer with experience in MS will be critical to the success of these efforts and our ability to positively impact patients. I’m thrilled he’ll be joining us to advance this work.” Dr. Dragone most recently served as chief medical officer at Sonoma Biotherapeutics. Previously, he held leadership roles in early clinical development at Janssen Biopharma, Merck Research Laboratories, and Genentech, where he advanced preclinical, pre-investigational new drug (IND) and early clinical programs. In these roles, he focused on advancing science and creating infrastructures that enable cross-functional collaboration and scientific advancement. Lenny received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester before completing his pediatric residency and pediatric rheumatology fellowship training at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). He was also an assistant professor of pediatrics and immunology at the University of Colorado and National Jewish Health in Denver, where he ran a National Institutes of Health-funded laboratory, publishing more than 30 peer-reviewed articles. Lenny remains clinically active as a Volunteer Associate Professor of Pediatric Rheumatology at UCSF, seeing patients in the pediatric rheumatology fellow’s clinic. About Abata Therapeutics Abata Therapeutics is focused on translating the biology of regulatory T cells (Tregs) into transformational medicines for patients with severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Founded by pioneers in Treg biology, TCR and antigen discovery, disease pathogenesis, and molecular and imaging biomarkers, Abata has developed a differentiated product engine to create engineered Treg cell therapies that are tissue-specific, robust, and durable. In addition to its lead program in progressive MS, Abata has programs in type 1 diabetes and inclusion body myositis – two other tissue-specific autoimmune diseases with substantial unmet needs and a strong rationale for Abata’s Treg approach. The company was launched in 2021 by Third Rock Ventures, with participation from a diverse syndicate of investors, including ElevateBio, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Invus, Samsara BioCapital, and the JDRF T1D Fund. Abata is based in Watertown, Mass. Please visit abatatx.com or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn for more information.

Dr. Cahir-McFarland’s appointment to senior leadership team adds depth and expertise in immunology and translational drug discovery, as well as in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Abata Therapeutics, a company focused on translating the biology of regulatory T cells (Tregs) into transformational medicines for patients living with severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced that it has appointed Ellen Cahir-McFarland, Ph.D., as its Chief Scientific Officer. Cahir-McFarland brings more than 25 years of experience to Abata’s leadership team and will leverage her deep experience in immunology, neuroimmunology, and the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies. “Ellen’s experience and expertise make her the perfect fit to lead Abata’s research efforts. Her knowledge in immunology, MS, and translational medicine will be pivotal as we advance our Treg approach into the clinic, beginning with a breakthrough treatment for progressive MS,” said Samantha Singer, M.S., M.B.A., president and chief executive officer of Abata. “I would also like to thank Andrea Van Elsas, who has served as our interim CSO since we formed the company. His leadership, scientific insight, and company-building experience have been instrumental in our success to date, enabling us to build distinctive capabilities and rapidly advance our programs into the clinic.” “I’m delighted to join the fantastic team at Abata. I am impressed by the team's efforts to combine cutting-edge science in disease pathology, cell manufacturing, and Treg biology to develop a pipeline of programs in autoimmune disease,” said Cahir-McFarland. “I look forward to guiding our research team, our science, and our translational efforts as we advance into clinical studies.” Ellen Cahir-McFarland has deep experience in drug discovery research and early drug development. Prior to joining Abata, Ellen was Senior Vice President of Research at Annexon Biosciences, a company focused on advancing inhibitors of classical complement in neurodegeneration, ophthalmology, and autoimmune indications. She joined Annexon in 2020 to lead research. During her time there, the team advanced two programs into first-in-human studies. Prior to Annexon, Ellen joined Biogen Discovery Research in 2011, where she held several positions of increasing responsibility, including as Interim Head of the MS and Neurorepair Research Unit. During her time at Biogen, she advanced programs in virology, immunology, neuroimmunology, and MS. She supported the Tysabri Asset team and was the research and development project leader for Phase 1 and Phase 2 programs for MS. Before moving to industry, Ellen was an accomplished academic, including her work running a postdoctoral fellowship and a research lab as an Assistant Professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where she focused on how Epstein Barr Virus co-opts cellular signaling pathways to drive the transformation of B-lymphocytes. She earned her Ph.D. in Immunology at Washington University in St. Louis, studying T cell receptor signaling. About Abata Therapeutics Abata Therapeutics is focused on translating the biology of regulatory T cells (Tregs) into transformational medicines for patients living with severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Founded by pioneers in Treg biology, T cell receptor, and antigen discovery, disease pathogenesis, and molecular and imaging biomarkers, Abata has developed a differentiated product engine to create engineered Treg cell therapies that are tissue-specific, robust, and durable. In addition to its lead program in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), Abata has programs in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and inclusion body myositis (IBM) – two additional tissue-specific autoimmune diseases with substantial unmet need and a strong rationale for Abata’s Treg approach. The company was launched in 2021 by Third Rock Ventures, with participation from a diverse syndicate of investors, including ElevateBio, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Invus, Samsara BioCapital, and the JDRF T1D Fund. Abata is based in Cambridge, Mass. Please visit abatatx.com or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn for more information.