TargImmune Therapeutics AG, a privately owned Swiss-based biotechnology company dedicated to significantly improving the survival of cancer patients by developing novel targeted anticancer treatments, today announced the appointment of Christoph Rentsch as full-time Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Mr Rentsch was one of the co-founders of TargImmune and takes on this full-time position having been a part-time CFO at the company since 2020. He will continue to sit on the TargImmune board.
Speaking of Mr Rentsch’s appointment, TargImmune CEO, Peter Braun, said, “Christoph has been integral to the success of TargImmune from the very beginning. As we continue to grow and develop the business, Christoph’s wealth of experience means he will continue to be an invaluable asset in guiding our future financial strategy.”
Mr Rentsch is an expert in private and public funding markets. He has a long history as a corporate finance leader, including leading worldwide finance transactions for F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG in his role as Head of Group Funding and Capital Markets, where he oversaw many of their biggest deals over a 10-year tenure (including Genentech, Givaudan, and Labcorp). Since leaving Roche, Christoph has continued to be active in life sciences investment and has served in executive functions and on the board of several biotech companies.
“Having been part of the TargImmune team from the beginning, I am delighted that the company has reached a stage that requires a full-time CFO position,” said Mr Rentsch. “Seeing the enormous promise of the Ta:RNA™ platform, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be part of the team that continues to drive the company forward towards what we all hope will be a transformational treatment approach for so many patients. I look forward to leading the exploration of the best financial options to deliver on that potential, whether that’s private equity finance, public listing or different forms of non-dilutive alternatives.”
TargImmune is dedicated to significantly improving the survival of cancer patients by developing novel targeted anti-cancer therapeutics which provide a multi-pronged attack against solid tumours. The company’s novel Ta:RNA™ platform harnesses the body’s own immune system and powerful antiviral defence responses to selectively target and destroy cancer cells. Its immunomodulating therapeutics are designed to be delivered systemically, allowing them to reach distant metastases, which are the leading cause of cancer death.
TargImmune Therapeutics AG Peter Braun, CEO
media@targimmune.com
TargImmune Therapeutics AG is a privately owned Swiss-based biotechnology company based in Basel and founded in 2016.
TargImmune is dedicated to significantly improving the survival of cancer patients by developing novel targeted anti-cancer therapeutics which provide a multi-pronged approach against solid tumours.
The company’s novel Ta:RNA™ platform harnesses the body’s own immune system and powerful antiviral defence responses to selectively target and destroy cancer cells. Its immunomodulating therapeutics are designed to be delivered systemically, allowing them to reach distant metastases, which are the leading cause of cancer death.
Ta:RNA™ is TargImmune’s proprietary, first-in-class platform and is the only targeted nanoparticle to deliver Poly-IC, a synthetic double-stranded RNA, to cancer cells. The Ta:RNA™ platform targets solid tumours through their over-expression of a specific receptor. By replacing only the targeting moiety, Ta:RNA™ can target different receptors and address a range of different solid tumours.
Mimicking the natural processes of viral infection and antiviral defence responses, Ta:RNA™ drives a potent combination of apoptosis (cell death) and immune modulation to target both primary and metastatic heterogeneous tumour cells. TargImmune’s therapeutics are the first in a new class known as targeted apoptosis and immune modulators (TAIMs).
This unique technology and innovative therapeutic approach have the potential to transform outcomes for cancer patients, whether used alone or in combination with existing treatments.
TargImmune’s lead drug candidate, TAR001, targets epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR). EGFR overexpression is prevalent in a significant proportion of solid cancers and is often associated with more aggressive disease. The company is on track to file an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) / Clinical Trial Application (CTA) in the near future with subsequent entry into man. As TargImmune’s lead targeted apoptosis and immune modulator (TAIM) therapy, TAR001 has the potential to be applied to a wide range of cancers and change the lives of a large number of cancer patients.
The company’s second Ta:RNA-based portfolio compound , TAR002, is in pre-clinical development.