When was Excellos founded and with what objective?
Excellos is a spinout from the San Diego Blood Bank and was not a part of my initial career trajectory as a cell biologist. My journey led me from the lab to running life science instrumentation companies to an antibody therapeutic company, focusing on cancer therapeutics, before joining the San Diego Blood Bank.
The Blood Bank, traditionally a not-for-profit organization, required a new perspective to diversify and leverage its capabilities beyond its core function of blood collection and processing. The idea was to transform a section of the blood bank into a more dynamic entity, focusing on leveraging the white blood cells usually discarded in blood transfusions for broader medical applications. This led to the incubation of Excellos within the San Diego Blood Bank, evolving over seven years before emerging as an independent entity. Our goal was to utilize these resources in the realm of cell therapy, enhancing community health with a focus on cancer treatment and research, ultimately leading to the founding of Excellos.
What does Excellos do today?
Excellos is primarily focused on cell therapy manufacturing, with an emphasis on allogeneic-type therapies. Our approach centers on collecting white blood cells through a specialized apheresis procedure. We have delved into two main areas: TIL-based therapies for solid tumor cancers and the CAR market, focusing on specific T cells.
Our uniqueness lies in our connection with blood banks, allowing us to access a diverse range of donor cells, which is crucial for minimizing the variability inherent in cell therapies. Unlike other pharmaceuticals, cell therapy demands a consistent and high-quality starting material due to the individual variability of cells. Our aim is to categorize and utilize donors based on their cell type suitability, such as NK cell or gamma delta T cell donors, enhancing the efficacy of cell therapies. We are also involved in the entire spectrum of cell therapy processes, from isolation and genetic modification to expansion, but our differentiator is our focus on the initial selection and quality of the cells.
How do you go about identifying the right material for your cell therapies?
Our advantage in identifying the right material for cell therapies lies in our comprehensive approach to characterizing donors. We delve deep into understanding the molecular and physiological aspects of the cells, assessing factors like metabolic fitness, effector function, memory function, telomere length, and epigenetics. We do not just rely on traditional metrics like HLA type, health, or BMI, but instead evaluate the cells' capacity to effectively combat diseases such as cancer. Our platform, Excellos 360, examines various donor attributes, including age and behavior. We have learned that the quality of cells does not correlate simply with age; a young donor might not always provide healthier cells, just as an older donor might offer high-quality cells. This in-depth characterization is fundamental to developing more effective therapies.
How would you explain the “the promise of cell potency”?
Cell potency, as embodied in our Excellos 360 program, revolves around ensuring the health and robustness of cells used in therapies. The focus is on starting with the healthiest and most robust cells, expanding them, and ensuring the final product is of the highest quality for patients, especially cancer patients who may see this as a final treatment option. This process, while complex, is critical for scaling the industry and offering the best possible treatment.
Could you tell us more about your new partnership with TC BioPharm to enable novel cell therapies?
Our partnership with TC BioPharm, a Scottish company aiming to enter the U.S. market, involves using our facilities for cell collection and manufacturing. TC BioPharm's focus is on developing therapies for solid tumors using gamma delta T cells, both with and without CAR constructs.
This partnership allows us to build quality cell banks, providing a reliable resource for clinical trials. It represents an exciting direction for us, aligning well with our expertise and capabilities.
What role do you see for CDMOs in the life science industries in the coming years?
CDMOs play a pivotal role in the life sciences industry, offering flexibility for both large pharma and smaller biotech firms. While some companies prefer in-house manufacturing for control, others outsource to CDMOs like ours for expertise in manufacturing. This allows them to focus on their core competencies like molecule development and clinical trials. Our role is becoming increasingly important as companies evaluate the cost-effectiveness of building their own facilities versus partnering with established CDMOs. Technologies like in-vivo gene therapies might change the landscape in the future, but for now, CDMOs remain crucial for the industry's growth and innovation.
Where would you like to see Excellos in five years?
In five years, I envision Excellos significantly impacting cancer treatment, affecting over 100,000 patients across multiple indications. Our goal is not to develop our own drug programs but to collaborate with partners, producing therapeutic doses for clinical trials and FDA-approved therapies. Measuring our success is straightforward: the quantifiable impact we have on cancer patients. This vision not only defines our business success but also contributes to the broader fight against cancer.
