Obsidian Therapeutics, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based clinical-stage biotechnology company, has announced a significant addition to its executive team with the appointment of Dana Alexander as Chief Technical Officer (CTO). This move comes amid the company’s ambitious efforts to enhance its capabilities in cell and gene therapy technologies, particularly through its proprietary cytoDRiVE® platform.

Dana Alexander, a seasoned professional with over twenty years of experience in the biotechnology field, brings a wealth of expertise, particularly in cell therapy, gene therapy, and biologics process development. Prior to joining Obsidian, Alexander held several high-ranking positions, including Senior Vice President of Technical Operations at AlloVir and Vice President of Operations, Viral Vector Services at Thermo Fisher Scientific (formerly Brammer Bio). His previous roles have armed him with extensive knowledge and skills in chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC), essential for advancing therapies from the developmental phase to commercialization.

At Obsidian, Alexander’s role will be crucial as he will oversee the advancement of the company’s lead investigational product, OBX-115. This therapy is part of Obsidian’s dedicated push to innovate in the field of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapies. Specifically, OBX-115 is designed to treat advanced or metastatic melanoma and other solid tumors, utilizing armored autologous T cells engineered with pharmacologically regulatable membrane-bound IL15 (mbIL15). The novel therapeutic approach aims to enhance persistence, antitumor activity, and clinical safety of TIL cell therapies.

OBX-115 is currently undergoing evaluation in two clinical trials targeting advanced or metastatic melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These trials represent a critical phase in the therapy’s development, where Alexander’s expertise in scaling up manufacturing processes and ensuring stringent quality control will be invaluable.

Obsidian’s CEO, Madan Jagasia, M.D., expressed enthusiasm about Alexander joining the team, highlighting his operational expertise and leadership as essential for leveraging their cytoDRiVE® platform effectively. Alexander himself shared his excitement about contributing to Obsidian’s mission, emphasizing his commitment to expanding the company’s CMC capabilities.

Obsidian Therapeutics has established itself as a frontrunner in engineered cell and gene therapies by focusing on developing technologies that could potentially transform treatment paradigms for patients with difficult-to-treat diseases. The company’s collaboration with pharmaceutical giants like Bristol Myers Squibb and Vertex Pharmaceuticals further positions it to make significant impacts in the biotechnology field.

With a robust platform and strategic collaborations, bolstered by the leadership of seasoned professionals like Dana Alexander, Obsidian Therapeutics continues to make strides in pioneering therapies that promise a new hope for patients with advanced cancers and other serious diseases.