Penn Center for Innovation

Penn spinout Carisma Therapeutics received clearance of its Investigational New Drug application (IND) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for CT-0525, an ex vivo gene-modified autologous chimeric antigen receptor-monocyte (CAR-Monocyte) cellular therapy intended to treat solid tumors that overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). This novel CAR-M approach has the potential to address the challenges of treating solid tumors with cell therapies. Having received a Study May Proceed notification from the FDA, Carisma plans to initiate a Phase 1 study in the months to come and to treat the first patient in the first half of 2024. "Clearance of the IND for CT-0525 is a significant milestone in Carisma's mission to develop innovative myeloid cell therapies for metastatic solid tumors," said Steven Kelly, MBA, President and CEO of Carisma, as per PR Newswire. "Through this Phase 1 study, we aim to advance our understanding of safety, tolerability, manufacturing feasibility and mechanism of action of CT-0525." Read more here:? https://lnkd.in/gVKyYVfj???

In April, a Sponsored Research Agreement was negotiated with Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation (“SCF”) and Dr. Keith Weigelt, the Marks-Darivoff Family Professor Emeritus of Management at Wharton. This agreement involved transforming Dr. Weigelt's community program, "Bridges to Wealth," into a broader initiative called "Champions for Financial Legacy" which is being launched at four historically Black colleges and universities.?The program promotes a social mission of empowering students with tools to improve their own socioeconomic mobility and become leaders primed to deliver those benefits to to underserved communities for greater social impact. Read the latest stories about the agreement here: ? https://lnkd.in/evs-MAEu? https://lnkd.in/e-qSUqFj??

Big congratulations to all of these amazing leaders, most with connections to Penn, and especially to Penn’s Chief Innovation Officer John Swartley! Cast your vote!!

PCI is thrilled to host our 9th annual Celebration of Innovation on Wednesday, December 4th, where we will celebrate Penn researchers and innovators named as inventors on patents issued to Penn this past fiscal year. During the celebratory program, we will also present several special awards for exceptional achievements in technology innovation and commercial translation.?? We hope you will be able to join us for the celebration taking place from 4pm to 6pm in the Jordan Medical Education Center at the Perelman School of Medicine. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e-n72Y7J

On Thursday, December 5, "Unlocking Success: CLP, Inc.'s First East Coast Community Engagement Event" is taking place in Philadelphia. Hosted by Certified Licensing Professionals, Inc. (CLP), this event is an incredible opportunity for licensing professionals to connect with top leaders in licensing from both academia and industry, engage in lively discussions and network with some of the best in the field. Benjamin Dibling, PhD, Associate Vice Provost and Managing Director of the Penn Center for Innovation, and Tom Wilton, Chief Business Officer at Penn spinout Carisma Therapeutics, will share industry insights during a fireside chat. Learn more about the event and register here: https://lnkd.in/enbw9Es9

The Penn Center for Innovation is about more than just tech transfer. The center actively participates in several university-led charitable initiatives to support the local community, including: ? Annual holiday gift drive ? Penn’s Way annual fundraising campaign ? Netter Center school supply drive ?“Through its participation in these initiatives,” said managing director Benjamin Dibling, “PCI supports Penn’s ongoing commitment to creating a positive impact in the Philadelphia community." Learn more about this Technical.ly client: https://lnkd.in/etaGAmRY #TechnicallyPartner24

Penn spinout Interius BioTherapeutics, co-founded by Saar Gill, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Hematology-Oncology) at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, has dosed its first patient in a clinical trial of its lead drug candidate, INT2104, an in vivo car therapy that targets B-cell malignancies. If successful, the treatment has the potential to be faster, less expensive, and more widely available than the current ex vivo CAR T cell therapies. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gqnwbmYx

PCI just released a new newsletter. Inside you will find our FY24 Year in Review, which celebrates PCI's past 10 years of success and showcases the wide range of accomplishments that have taken place over the past fiscal year. We also include updates on the latest commercialization news, startup successes and research highlights. The newsletter includes details about our upcoming events, including our annual Celebration of Innovation and our panel event, "Innovation @ Penn: Real World Implementation of AI and Healthcare," taking place in San Francisco. https://lnkd.in/e4J_fWgj

The Penn Center for Innovation is deeply saddened by the passing of Eric Corkhill, who served as Chairman and CEO of Neuralert Technologies, a Penn spin-out company. Eric joined Neuralert in June 2020, working closely with co-founders Steven Messe (Professor of Neurology, Penn Medicine), James Weimer (Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University), and CTO Det Ansinn, to achieve their objective of transforming the care of patients with stroke. ? Eric was an inspiring leader, and an exceptionally kind and generous person, who profoundly shaped Neuralert’s journey. Under Eric’s leadership, Neuralert made significant strides in their plans to develop the first lightweight, non-invasive device capable of providing continuous stroke monitoring and automatic alerts for timely treatments and improved outcomes.?Driven by his commitment to save lives and prevent disability after stroke, Eric led the company to milestone achievements including an?FDA?Breakthrough Device designation?in 2021?and Time Magazine’s recognition of Neuralert’s device as one of the?best inventions of 2022.?PCI Ventures celebrated Eric as?CEO of the Year in 2023?for his unwavering dedication and remarkable accomplishments. ? Eric’s contributions to Neuralert will endure as part of his legacy. Under the leadership of CEO, Det Ansinn, the Neuralert team is committed to fulfilling his vision for the company. ? The Penn Center for Innovation extends its deepest condolences to Eric’s family, friends, and colleagues. Eric will be greatly missed. ? For more information on Eric’s life and accomplishments, please refer to his?obituary: https://lnkd.in/eaQ4NdHp

Penn spinout REGENXBIO, co-founded by Jim Wilson, MD, PhD, the Rose H. Weiss Orphan Disease Center Director's Professor, announced positive results from a Phase II study for its treatment ABBV-RGX-314. This treatment is a gene therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that causes vision complications. The traditional treatment for wet AMD involves frequent, lifelong injections in the eyes. In REGENXBIO's study, the nine patients who received ABBV-RGX-314 using subretinal delivery saw a 97% reduction in eye injections after nine months.? The therapy was well-tolerated with no severe side effects and maintained patients' vision and eye health. This one-time treatment has the potential to improve the quality of life for wet AMD patients by reducing the need for injections. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eKASq74b?