Cell & Gene Immunotherapy Biotech, Vycellix, to Establish Headquarters in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. & STOCKHOLM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vycellix™, Inc. today announced that the Company, founded by leading medical researchers at Sweden’s world renowned Karolinska Institutet, will establish its U.S. headquarters in Tampa, Florida. The Vycellix team, initially comprising of its senior executive & administrative staff, is scheduled to occupy their new space adjacent to the Moffit Cancer Center in April.

“We are excited Vycellix is relocating to Tampa and believe there are collective synergies to collaborate and jointly strive to accelerate the development of next-generation, cell-based immunotherapies for cancer,” stated James Mulé, Ph.D., Associate Center Director for Translational Science at Moffitt Cancer Center. “Vycellix’s platform technologies hold the potential to enhance many of the current immuno-oncology therapies being developed at Moffitt, including TIL (tumor infiltrating lymphocytes), TCR (T cell receptor), and CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T cell) therapies.”

Vycellix’s scientific discoveries coupled with a portfolio of small molecule & RNA modulators address current limitations for cell & gene therapies, including the need to accelerate speed of production, lower costs, ensure end-cell viability and persistence, and improve patient outcomes. The Company’s innovative solutions offer the potential to significantly optimize processes for: cell reprogramming; enhancing cell potency; and improving cell expansion.

Additionally, the Company is leveraging its assets to develop an early-stage pipeline of multifaceted, next generation natural killer (NK) cell therapies targeting hematological malignancies and solid tumors, including its RONK™ (Retargeted Optimized NK cell) therapy.

“The Tampa market continues to grow as a hub for life science and biotech companies, largely due to Moffitt Cancer Center’s role as a preeminent worldwide leader in cancer research and treatment, as well as due to the strong partnerships among the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, USF, and other regional research leaders that work together to attract innovative companies such as Iovance, Morphogenesis and now Vycellix,” said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “It’s exciting to see an industry cluster form around the treatment of cancers, and we welcome Vycellix to the area.”

According to Vycellix’s CEO, Evren Alici, M.D., Ph.D., “The field of cancer immunotherapy is currently dominated by checkpoint therapies and CAR-T, which are, in select cases, highly effective. However, Vycellix’s mission is to fundamentally resolve many of the issues that limit the broad, global adoption of such therapies. We believe our ability to impact these challenges will be accelerated by collaborating with global immuno-oncology research leaders including those in the Tampa region.” Dr. Alici’s research constellation at Karolinska Institutet is pioneering next-generation gene and cell therapies.

In other news, Vycellix announced its President, Douglas W. Calder, will present on the “Cell Therapy Manufacturing” Panel at Moffitt’s Business of Biotech Conference to be held at Moffitt’s Vincent A. Stabile Research Building on Feb 22^nd. This panel will discuss the challenges and innovations making revolutionary immunotherapies more affordable, accessible and broadly efficacious across a variety of cancer indications. For more information and to register to attend this event, please visit: https://www.moffittip.com/business-of-biotech/business-of-biotech-2019/

About Vycellix™, Inc.:

Vycellix, Inc., is a closely-held immunotherapy-focused, discovery company with the mission to fundamentally impact the challenges that currently prevail in the area of cell & gene based-therapies. The Company is engaged in the development of proprietary approaches for cell-based immunotherapeutic products and to improve patient outcomes.

The Company is leveraging its assets to develop an early-stage pipeline of multifaceted, next-generation NK cell therapies targeting hematological malignancies and solid tumors, including its RONK™ (Retargeted Optimized NK cell) therapy.

The Company’s products were all discovered by scientists at the world renowned Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm, Sweden. KI is globally recognized for its Nobel Assembly, which awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

For more information, please visit the Company’s website at: www.Vycellix.com and follow its Twitter feed at: @Vycellix.

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