M/W Post doctorate in Immunology

• Plan and carry out experiments to determine the functional consequences of the ex-vivo use of bispecific monoclonal antibodies.
• Process and analyze the data, format the results for their presentations.
• Write reports of experiments or studies, technical notes.
• Proactively participate in the writing of scientific articles.
• Available for professional journeys in the USA and the Cytovia Therapeutics Inc. laboratories in Natick (MA) notably.
• Collaborate with the scientific team in the Natick laboratories in order to coordinate the biological and clinical trials on animals.
• Participate to the CRO selection involved in the preclinical trials (toxicology, PK, PD, biodistribution…).

The objective of the research project will be to study the anti-tumor effects of a bispecific antibody capable of activating NK lymphocytes and binding tumor cells. The techniques employed will combine molecular biology, cell culture, cell sorting, gene transfer, flow cytometry and immuno-histochemical labeling.

The project aims at studying “The anti-tumor activity of bispecific monoclonal antibodies in hematological malignancies”.

The activity will be partly carried out in the Biocampus structure Baculovirus and Therapy laboratory located in Saint Christol Lès Alès and the company Cytovia Therapeutics located in Cytovia Therapeutics Europe 25-27 Av. du Québec, 91140 Villebon-sur-Yvette.

• BioCampus Montpellier has the objective of structuring and pooling all available cutting-edge technological tools. Currently, BioCampus is composed of 18 facilities and manages the main technological platforms dedicated to Life Science research in the Mediterranean part of the French Occitanie region. The post-doctoral scientist will work in Baculovirus and Therapy team which conducts research in the development of innovative technologies for the production of protein complexes in particular mono- and bispecific antibodies using the baculovirus expression system. This team includes 2 engineers, 2 assistant engineers, 1 technician and all facilities for virology, molecular biology, purification and a white room equipped with bioreactors for recombinant protein production.

• Cytovia Therapeutics Inc. (www.cytoviatx.com ): We are an innovative, global biotechnology company focused on harnessing the power of natural killer (NK cells) to fight cancer through multispecific antibodies and stem cell engineering. We are developing novel therapies aimed at addressing solid and hematological tumors with significant unmet medical needs. We seek to combine our gene-edited induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC derived NK cell) and Flex-NK cell-engager antibody platforms to develop differentiated therapies across multiple indications. Our lead program aims to develop first-in-class hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapies targeting glypican-3 (GPC3). Our novel tri-specific Flex-NK Cell antibody engager binds to NK cells through NKp46 and CD16a while targeting GPC3 expressed on HCC cells. We can augment the power of our NK cell-engager by combining it with either unedited or edited iPSC-derived NK (iNK cells). Our pipeline includes edited iNK cell and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-iNK), cell candidates directed against GPC3. Our broader pipeline also includes a CD38 targeting Flex-NK cell-engager and a CD38 targeting CAR-iNK cell candidates for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), targeting CAR-iNK cells for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, (GBM). We expect to file two INDs in the second half of 2022for CYT-303, our GPC3 Flex-NK cell-engager antibody, and CYT-100, our unedited iNK cells.