Hackensack Meridian Health’s Bear’s Den Supports Company Developing Novel Way to 'Train' Patients' Own White Blood Cells

Alloplex Biotherapeutic and Hackensack Meridian Health announce Equity Investment

Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health network, is proud to announce its support of the clinical development of a highly-differentiated immuno-oncology platform by Boston-based Alloplex Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Alloplex has refined cellular drug candidates aimed at “training’’ a patient’s white blood cells to recognize and to kill cancer cells - and the company is poised to start a first-in-human clinical trial of SUPLEXA therapeutic cells in Australia early next year.

This investment in Alloplex is Hackensack Meridian Health’s fifth through the Bear’s Den, the health network’s successful innovation program, which seeks to drive medical science forward by supporting strategic candidates in biotech and pharma.

“Innovation is in our DNA and we are proud to support this promising new treatment concept,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “The Bear’s Den is foundational to our efforts to transform healthcare and deliver more value to the communities we serve.”

“Hackensack Meridian Health’s investment represents a significant vote of confidence in our highly-differentiated approach to cellular therapy,“ said Frank Borriello, M.D., Ph.D., Alloplex’s Scientific Founder and CEO. “We are very appreciative of the investment which not only supports our initial clinical trials but also establishes a foundation for collaboration in the years ahead.”

SUPLEXA Therapeutic Cells are an autologous therapy made from activated and reprogrammed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) - derived from the patient’s whole blood. SUPLEXA are generated rapidly and in abundance through a robust ex vivo manufacturing procedure to give them the capacity to kill all tumor cells tested - without affecting normal cells. SUPLEXA are comprised of a heterogenous mixture of cells of both innate and adaptive phenotypes, thereby employing a multi-modal anti-tumor strategy. The company believes, by using the patient's own cells activated through naturally occurring receptors rather than external substances, this therapy may be better tolerated than using foreign substances, while maximizing anti-cancer effects.

Alloplex was founded in 2016 by its CEO, Dr. Borriello - a Harvard-trained immunologist with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to Alloplex he led the Search and Evaluation function in multiple pharmaceutical companies.

Launched in 2017, Bear’s Den features a panel of experts, including Hackensack Meridian Health CEO Garrett, leading physicians, key network executives, venture capitalists, patent attorneys, who gather regularly to vet proposals from entrepreneurs. The health network’s novel incubator has vetted many products and strategies to streamline care delivery, reduce infections, lower hospital readmissions, and help patients partner in their care with physicians.

“Hackensack Meridian Health is interested in pushing innovation forward, not just through our own considerable research efforts - but also through investments of this caliber,” said Ihor Sawczuk, M.D., FACS, the chief research officer and president of the Northern Region of the health network. “We believe the future is an exciting place.”

About Alloplex Biotherapeutics

Alloplex Biotherapeutics Inc is a privately owned Boston-based cellular therapeutics company with headquarters and laboratories located in Woburn MA, USA; and a wholly owned subsidiary Alloplex Australia Pty Ltd.

Led by Scientific Founder and CEO, Dr. Frank Borriello, M.D., Ph.D, the organization has developed an autologous cellular therapy derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These SUPLEXA therapeutic cells, which are comprised of cells of both innate and adaptive phenotypes, display broad anti-tumor activity. Alloplex has established a robust GMP manufacturing procedure for SUPLEXA and as an autologous therapeutic are expected to be well-tolerated and safe.

The first in-human clinical trial – designed to yield both safety and efficacy data and anticipated to commence in early 2022 is a basket design and will enroll patients with a variety of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.

For further information media are asked to contact media@alloplexbio.com

To learn more visit www.alloplexbio.com