AffyImmune Appoints Dr. Daniel Janse as CEO
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Janse as the new CEO of AffyImmune”
AffyImmune, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on pioneering first-in-class CAR T cell therapies, has announced the appointment of Daniel Janse, Ph.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer. With two decades of experience in biopharmaceutical research and development, operations, and leadership, Dr. Janse is poised to steer the company toward new horizons.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Janse as the new CEO of AffyImmune,” said Simone Song, Founding Partner at ORI Capital and Board Director at AffyImmune. “His extensive experience in the biotech industry and his proven leadership in driving innovation and strategic growth make him the ideal executive to lead AffyImmune into its next phase of growth. We have full confidence in his ability to advance our mission of bringing CAR T cell therapies to patients with solid tumors.”
Dr. Janse transitions to AffyImmune from Northpond Ventures, where he held the position of Managing Director. His tenure includes board memberships at several prominent biotechnology companies, such as Garuda Therapeutics, Triumvira Immunologics, Walking Fish Therapeutics, Artisan Bio, Aro Biotherapeutics, EnPlusOne Biosciences, and Isolere Bio. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer at Arbor Biotechnologies, overseeing scientific and general operations, business development, program and alliance management, and corporate development and strategy.
His illustrious career also includes leadership roles at Juno Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center, Inventages Venture Capital, and McKinsey & Company. A Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Dr. Janse earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University, where he trained under Dr. George Church in the Department of Genetics.
“I am honored to join AffyImmune at such a pivotal time in the company’s journey,” said Dr. Daniel Janse, Chief Executive Officer, AffyImmune. “I look forward to working with the team and Board of Directors to continue and expedite the development of AIC100 for patients with advanced thyroid cancers and non-small-cell lung cancer. The unique ability for AffyImmune to target ICAM-1 using an affinity-tuned LFA-1 binder and to track AIC100 after administration to patients are exciting scientific breakthroughs that can transform the sector.”
At the ASCO 2024 meeting, AffyImmune announced a confirmed complete response in a patient from its Phase 1 study evaluating the safety and efficacy of AIC100, an ICAM-1 targeting and affinity-tuned LFA-1 binder CAR T-cell therapy in advanced thyroid cancer. A metabolic complete response (mCR) was achieved in one patient with anaplastic thyroid cancer, the most aggressive form of the disease. AffyImmune is the first to demonstrate the potential of single-dose, single-agent autologous CAR T to induce a complete response in a patient with a solid tumor.
About AffyImmune Therapeutics AffyImmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing a first-in-class, ICAM-1 targeting and affinity-tuned LFA-1 binder CAR T therapy to transform the lives of patients with advanced solid cancers. The Company’s proprietary technology utilizing ICAM-1/LFA-1 interaction can potentially address critical CAR T challenges such as toxicity, antigen loss, T-cell trafficking and exhaustion, while also allowing in vivo tracking of the CAR T cells. Its lead candidate, AIC100, is currently in a Phase 1 study to treat patients with advanced thyroid cancers including advanced differentiated thyroid cancer (ADTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). AffyImmune is developing a focused pipeline in ICAM-1-positive cancers with high unmet medical need. AffyImmune is based in Natick, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.affyimmune.com.
