Base to Base biotech podcast 55: Beating transplant challenges and a circular supply chain

This week, our conversations are with Steve Perrin, president and CSO of Eledon Pharmaceuticals, and Jason Bock, CEO and co-founder of CTMC.Times:03:18 CTMC35:46 Eledon PharmaceuticalsCTMCCTMC is a joint venture between Resilience and the MD Anderson Cancer Center. It works like an internal manufacturing group, adapting to change in real time without charge ups and allowing for better control as a company develops their research process. With all of the resources in one circular supply chain (patients, clinicians, manufacturing, and regulatory), CTMC is executing the manufacturing and analytical processes while also supporting active engagement with MD Anderson, preparing to launch trials as soon as the FDA approves an IND.CTMC provides biotech partners with access to MD Anderson's clinical trial network, allowing therapies to be tested in patients without the biotech having to coordinate the trials themselves.The recent Link announcement of $60m Series A financing led by Johnson & Johnson highlights the success of the partnership between CTMC and Link for advancing the development of CAR T therapies for solid tumours into the clinical stage.Eledon PharmaceuticalsThere are major challenges in transplantation, such as a global donor organ shortage and patients often needing repeat transplants.Eledon Pharmaceuticals is the only company developing an immunosuppression drug that targets the CD40 ligand (CD40L) pathway in organ transplantation – a well-validated immune system communication pathway. This anti-CD40L antibody aims to reduce or eliminate the toxicities associated with today's standard of care drugs and help organs last longer, which may also free up organs for new patients, reduce repeat transplants, and help alleviate the global donor organ shortage.Eledon plans to move into a phase 3 trial in kidney transplantation this year after discussions with the FDA.The company is also active in islet cell transplants resulting in insulin independence in patients with previously near-uncontrollable type 1 diabetes.To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email [email protected]