DESIGNING INTELLIGENT CELL THERAPIES TO FIGHT CANCER

About Us

Refuge is leveraging gene engineering technologies known as CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) to develop therapeutic cells that are programmed to make decisions inside the patient’s body.

Our proprietary platform connects cell membrane receptors to CRISPR a/i systems, creating a genetically programmable switch that can control multiple gene expressions. We are seeking to enable the integration of multiple therapies into a single type of therapeutic cells, one that combines greater efficacy and fewer side effects.

OUR SCIENCE

CRISPR Activation and Interference

CRISPR is an acronym for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat, and it is the basis of the well-known CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology. Our platform is built on an evolution of this — technologies known as CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) and CRISPR interference (CRISPRi).

In 2012, Refuge co-founder Dr. Stanley Qi mutated the Cas9 protein so that it can no longer cut DNA, creating a “dead Cas9” or dCas9. The dCas9 can function as a carrier to targeted areas of the genome, where it can deliver a transcriptional activator or repressor to turn on or turn off genes. These techniques, CRISPRa and CRISPRi, allow for highly accurate activation or repression of gene expression.

Receptor-dCas Platform

Refuge’s novel receptor-dCas platform allows us to control how a cell interacts with its environment. Cells generally communicate and sense their surrounding through membrane receptors. Connecting receptors to dCas creates a therapeutic platform that enables cells to sense its surroundings and activate or repress multiple gene expression based on the receptor-ligand interactions.

With receptor-dCas, cells can be now programmed to only turn off certain genes — such as PD-1 for example, to generate more potent CAR-T immune cells — when it senses the presence of a tumor cell. Other genes that may potentially increase adverse side effects, such as IL-6 in cancer immunotherapies, can also be conditionally turned off to generate safer CAR-T cells.

Programs

Program

RB-1916

Receptor Type

CAR

Indication

Lymphoma

Antigen

CD-19

Genes

PD-1 repression/IL-6 repression

Stage: Lead Optimization

Program

RB-H21

Receptor Type

CAR

Indication

Solid Tumors

Antigen

HER2

Genes

Repression of PD-1 and other checkpoint inhibitors

Stage: Discovery

Program

RB-M1

Receptor Type

CAR

Indication

Solid Tumors

Antigen

Mesothelin

Genes

Repression of PD-1 and other checkpoint inhibitors

Stage: Discovery

Management Team

Stanley Qi, Ph.D

Scientific Co-Founder

Bing C. Wang, Ph.D.

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer

David Parkinson, M.D.

Co-Founder

Francesco Marincola, M.D.

Chief Scientific Officer

Frank Liang, Ph.D.

Director of Research, Cell Engineering

(James) Jianbin Wang, Ph.D.

Director of Research, Gene Editing & Regulation

Ida Louie

Director of Finance and Operations

Board of Directors

Bing C. Wang, Ph.D.

David Parkinson, M.D.

Karen Liu, Ph.D.

Scott Smith

Investors

Media

Professor Stanley Qi gave a talk on gene editing and gene expression control at the 2016 Tencent WE conference in Beijing. (In Chinese)

Dr. Bing Wang gave a talk on Refuge Biotechnologies’ therapeutic platform at the 2017 Pioneers Festival in Vienna.

Refuge Biotechnologies Appoints Scott Smith to Board of Directors

CAREERS

Refuge’s mission is to develop a smarter way to fight cancer, using the most cutting-edge technologies available to us. We want to cure patients of life-threatening diseases, and change the way that cancer is treated. We’re taking completely new approaches to overcoming key therapeutic challenges.

Our culture reflects this. There’s no denying we’re a passionate, risk-taking group. We hire the best of the best, but when we arrive at work, we leave our ego at the door and work together to break new ground in drug development. Some say we’re scrappy because we’re small yet determined — we’re swinging for the fences. But we’re also more than that. We’re agile, we’re well-prepared and every day we’re making significant progress towards our goals.

If you think you’d make a great addition to our team, send us an email. We’re seeking innovators who share in our commitment to perform science and research with integrity.

DESIGNING INTELLIGENT CELL THERAPIES TO FIGHT CANCER

About Us

OUR SCIENCE

CRISPR Activation and Interference

Receptor-dCas Platform

Programs

RB-1916

CAR

Lymphoma

CD-19

PD-1 repression/IL-6 repression

RB-H21

CAR

Solid Tumors

HER2

Repression of PD-1 and other checkpoint inhibitors

RB-M1

CAR

Solid Tumors

Mesothelin

Repression of PD-1 and other checkpoint inhibitors

Management Team

Stanley Qi, Ph.D

Bing C. Wang, Ph.D.

David Parkinson, M.D.

Francesco Marincola, M.D.

Frank Liang, Ph.D.

(James) Jianbin Wang, Ph.D.

Ida Louie

Board of Directors

Bing C. Wang, Ph.D.

David Parkinson, M.D.

Karen Liu, Ph.D.

Scott Smith

Investors

Media

Refuge Biotechnologies Appoints Scott Smith to Board of Directors

CAREERS

CONTACT US