Jeremy Skillington, the CEO of Poolbeg Pharma, will be presenting at the Cell & Gene Therapy International Europe 2024 event. His presentation will focus on a novel approach using p38 MAPK inhibition to prevent Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), a severe side effect seen in many immunotherapies like CAR T cell therapy and T cell engaging bispecific antibodies. CRS has an incidence rate of up to 95%, contributing to a significant increase in medical costs. Currently, treatment options are limited, with only tocilizumab being approved for CRS caused by CAR T cell therapy in the United States. There are no preventive measures available, despite the high demand from physicians and patients. Although several investigational and repurposed drugs have been tested, none have shown sufficient results to significantly alter patient treatment plans. However, certain MAPK inhibitors have demonstrated the potential to improve cell therapies by reducing the hypercytokinaemia associated with CRS without compromising the effectiveness of immunotherapies.
POLB 001, an oral p38 MAPK inhibitor being developed by Poolbeg Pharma, is aimed at preventing CRS. This inhibitor has been evaluated in a Phase 1b LPS challenge study, where it significantly reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNFa, and IL-8. The study also recorded notable reductions in heart rate, body temperature, and C-reactive protein levels. With Phase 2 trials on the horizon, the goal is to make immunotherapies safer and more widely available in clinical settings.
Jeremy Skillington’s career in biotechnology began in 2002 in California, where he worked in the Business Development group at Genentech, Inc. During his time there, he played a key role in executing over 40 licensing, investment, and collaboration deals. In 2009, Jeremy returned to Ireland, where he served as the head of Business Development and was part of the Senior Management team at Opsona Therapeutics Ltd. He later co-founded and became CEO of TriMod Therapeutics Ltd, an immuno-oncology company. In 2014, Jeremy joined the German investment fund HS Lifesciences GmbH, where he supported start-ups and provided business development guidance to companies such as ImmunoQure AG and Ethris GmbH.
In 2016, Jeremy became a founding member of Inflazome, a company that was acquired by Roche in September 2020 for €380 million (£325 million) upfront, with additional milestone payments to follow. Jeremy holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and completed his post-doctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco, in the lab of Professor Rik Derynck.
Jeremy Skillington’s contributions to the biotechnology field, particularly in immunotherapy, continue to make significant strides, with his work at Poolbeg Pharma being a promising development in the prevention of CRS.
Poolbeg Pharma plc (LON:POLB) is a clinical stage infectious disease pharmaceutical company, with a novel capital light clinical model which enables us to develop multiple products faster and more cost effectively than the traditional biotech model.
