A New Approach to Immune Therapies
HARMONIZING potency and delivery
Precision-tuned immune agonists — targeting innovation
StradBio is creating the next generation of immunotherapies for cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Through precision-tuned cytokine mimetics, targeting, and logic gates, we are building drugs that can deliver potent activation of immune cells where they are needed most, minimizing side effects.
Our goal is to put your immune system to work, so that you can work on life.
Immune agonists unleash the full power of the immune system to eliminate cancer, control inflammatory disease, and drive sustained therapeutic responses. Development of these potent drugs has been stymied by toxicity from systemic immune activation. We are combining computational protein design, targeting, engineered logic gates, and in-depth experience with clinical testing of de-novo designed proteins to expand the therapeutic window for cytokine immune agonists.
Science
Whisper™
Precision-tuned cytokines
Whisper™ uses precision-tuned, computationally designed cytokines, originally developed in Nobel Laureate David Baker’s laboratory.1 The robust, de novo designed proteins offer profound flexibility to fine-tune potency for autoimmune and inflammatory indications. Targeted delivery to specific immune cells reduces systemic toxicity.
1 Alex Chen, Giacomo Tampella, et al. NEO-TRA1: A CD25-Targeted De Novo non-Alpha Agonist of the IL-2 Receptor Selectively Expands Regulatory T Cells. Blood 2022; 140 (Supplement 1): 1652–1653. doi: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2022-159254
Daiad™
Split cytokine technology
The Daiad™ technology (REF) utilizes a split molecule approach for activation and has been exclusively licensed by StradBio. The split cytokine approach enables a precise ‘AND’ gate for biparatopic approaches, clustered antigens and colocalized antigens.2
2 Quijano-Rubio, A., Bhuiyan, A.M., Yang, H. et al. A split, conditionally active mimetic of IL-2 reduces the toxicity of systemic cytokine therapy. Nat Biotechnol 41, 532–540 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-022-01510-z
Zaiad™
Locked cytokine technology
The Zaiad™ platform locks cytokines into an inactive state via site specific chemical modification. Upon targeting to the tumor microenvironment (TME) cytokine activity can be restored by release of the small molecule lock.
Pipeline
Team
Jonathan Drachman, MD
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Jonathan has 20 years of biotechnology experience, including 14 years at Seattle Genetics (2004-18), serving in multiple roles, including Chief Medical Officer and EVP of Research and Development. Subsequently, Jonathan was CEO and Co-Founder of Neoleukin Therapeutics, a spin-out from the Institute of Protein Design. Dr. Drachman attended Harvard Medical School and then trained in internal medicine and medical oncology at the University of Washington, where he ran an academic research lab until 2004. Jonathan has been a Board member of multiple public and private biotech companies.
Mark Branum, Ph.D
Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder
Dr. Mark Branum is Chief Technical Officer and a Founder of StradBio and leads protein sciences, CMC and operations. An experienced leader in biopharmaceutical startup companies with 20 years of experience moving programs from research into clinical trials. Dr. Branum held leadership roles in Theraclone Sciences, OncoResponse, Immune Design and Highlight Therapeutics. Prior to his career in industry Dr. Branum earned a Ph.D in chemistry from the University of Minnesota and was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Aziz Sancar.
Alexander (Sasha) Astrakhan, Ph.D
Vice President of Research
Sasha brings 15 years of industry experience to StradBio and leads the early development of our innovative cytokine mimetics. With a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Washington, Dr. Astrakhan has a strong track record in preclinical development of therapies for oncology and autoimmune indications.
SAB
Gonçalo Bernardes, PhD
Co-founder, Collaborator
Peter Senter, PhD
Stanford Peng, MD, PhD
