Mission
Smart Immune is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing ProTcell, a first-in-class platform to pioneer the next generation of allogeneic T-cell immunotherapies for all.
The Value Proposition
ProTCell is a proprietary biomanufacturing platform allowing T-cell precursors to be produced in just 7 days vs. 15 months in vivo. Smart Immune’s cell therapy assets are allogeneic, off-the-shelf and yet adapt specifically to the host’s immune system, becoming personalised. Smart Immune offer a innovative pipeline of clinical-stage T-cell therapies for immunodeficiency (SCID) and allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies in immuno-oncology (AML/ALL/MDS).
Our Analysis
Impact & Milestones
Smart Immune seek to widen access to high-quality bone marrow transplants, bridging the gap between the 200,000 patients who need this treatment per year and the ~25,000 patients who manage to receive it. Having raised over 22m EUR, including a $5m commitment from the Gates Foundation, Smart Immune have 3 ongoing Phase I/II trials across 4 indications.
Why Alt. Club & Smart Immune?
Smart Immune impressed the Alt. Club team with their highly credible combination of scientific expertise, experienced management, and global advisory board. We value Smart Immune’s clear differentiation within an increasingly competitive space , strong defensible IP position and sustained traction since their formation.
Risks & Challenges
The costs of novel cell therapies are proving unsustainable for global healthcare systems , placing pressure on future reimbursement and revenue. As the cell therapy space is increasingly competitive, there is also pressure to deliver sufficiently differentiated therapies to win reimbursement from payers. However, off-the-shelf allogeneic cell therapies promise to lower costs, allowing wider access within healthcare.
Please contact us for more detailed due diligence
Leadership Team
Karine Rossignol, PharmD
CEO / Co-Founder
Karine has more than 25 years’ management experience in both industry and biomedical research institutes. She was CEO of the French Foundation for Hearing for 3 years, co-secretary general of Institut Imagine, Paris for 10 years, and also has 12-year international experience in international marketing in LVMH, L’Oreal, and Chanel.
Marina Cavazzana, MD, PhD
Co-Founder
Marine is a globally recognized pioneer in cell and gene therapy. She is a member of the American Medical Academy, and recipient of numerous awards, including the Grand prix de l’Académie de Médicine. She directs the Biotherapy Department at Institut Imagine, Paris and she is Head of the Gene Therapy clinical department at Necker Children’s Hospital, Paris.
Sebastian Lombardo
Chair of the Board
Sebastian is a serial technology entrepreneur. He is the former Chairman and CEO of Valtech, a digital transformation agency he built into a world leading company and sold to a private equity firm in 2021. Sebastian also serves on the board of DKMS, the world's largest bone marrow donor registry.
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- Karine Rossignol, CEO