ESR4: James Hugo Armstrong Clubb

Host: B4 TILT Biotherapeutics Ltd / Supervisor: Dr. Suvi Sorsa

Individual Project

Developing new treatments for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas refractory to checkpoint inhibitors with the oncolytic adenovirus encoding IL-2 and TNFa – TILT-123. Improving oncolytic adenovirus production in host cell utilising single cell analysis technology.

STACCATO Research

Oncolytic viruses are a promising platform for enhancement of tumour T-cell therapy including checkpoint inhibitors. James will perform pre-clinical studies using TILT-123 for treating Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas refractory to Checkpoint Inhibitors and develop an optimized, scalable production method for oncolytic adenovirus vectors for clinical trials. Aim of the project is to increase the efficiency of the TILT-123 oncolytic adenovirus manufacturing processes, and study in single-cell level which factors in production cell lines determine the success of the manufacturing process.

Scientific Background

James completed his Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences (Immunology) and his Master’s degree in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering. During his bachelors he used a bacterial protein expression system to generate and characterize a C-type Lectin involved in pulmonary innate immune defense. For his Masters he used bioprocessing techniques for generating novel solid dosage forms containing an immunomodulatory fraction from a fungal extract. He then spent two years working in industry creating metabolic drug screening models and iPSC derived hematopoietic and erythropoietic stem cells for applications in transplantation medicine.

Publications

  • DOI: Kudling T.V., Clubb J. (ESR4), Quixabeira D.C.A., et al. (2022), Adenovirus Encoding Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha and Interleukin 2 Induces a Tertiary Lymphoid Structure Signature in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Refractory Head and Neck Cancer. Front. Immunol., 7:3:22, Sec. Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy.
  • DOI: Clubb J. (ESR4), Kudling T.V., Heiniö C., et al. (2022), Local delivery of interleukin 7 with an oncolytic adenovirus activates tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and causes tumor regression. OncoImmunol. Vol. 11, 22. Iss. 1.
  • Three further publications are being prepared for submission to peer-reviewed journals in 2023.

Conferences

  • Oral presentation: IOVC 2022 (The 14th International Oncolytic Virotherapy Conference), Nagano, Japan, 21.10.22.
    Ad5/3-E2F-D24-TNFa-IRES-IL2 (TILT-123) from preclinical development to Phase I clinical trials.
  • Poster presentation: University of Helsinki RPU day, Helsinki, Sweden, 14.04.22.
    Adenovirus encoding tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 2 induces a tertiary lymphoid structure signature in immune checkpoint inhibitor refractory head and neck cancer.
  • Poster presentation: European Society for Animal Cell Culture Technology (ESACT), Lisbon, Portugal, 26. – 29.06.22.
    Novel Syrian Hamster anti-PD-L1 exhibits robust anti-tumour control in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and is potentiated by oncolytic adenovirotherapy.