Jonathan Kwok nominated for two biotech startup awards
Merton DPhil student Jonathan Kwok's biotechnology spinout Infinitopes Cancer Vaccines has been shortlisted as a finalist for both the OBN UK Best Startup Biotech and the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) New Startup of the Year award.
Infinitopes is a CRUK-led spinout in collaboration with Oxford University. The company harnesses intellectual property in cancer antigen discovery and T-cell stimulation, led by an enviable scientific advisory board including world leaders in tumour target discovery, immunology, vaccinology, oncology clinical trials and biomanufacturing.
Founded in late 2021, Infinitopes has raised £11.5m, from a superb syndicate of life sciences business builders and Innovate UK. In its first year, Infinitopes has begun enhancing immunopeptidomics techniques able to see targets that competitors cannot, in combination with preparing its lead and follow-up vector technologies, to commence a phase I/IIa clinical trial in 2024.
Infinitopes was delighted to receive an Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) innovation passport from The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) this summer, recognising the excellence of its team, promise of the science, and innovative trial design, to meet high unmet clinical needs for cancer patients in the coming decade.
Jonathan is grateful for Infinitopes' University heritage. It is a very student-friendly company, supporting learning events by OU Biotech Soc, OU Personalised Medicine, SynBio Catalyse, Enterprising Oxford, the Oncology Department, Said Business School, and Merton's Biomedical and Life Sciences Network.
Infinitopes offers paid summer and winter internships in addition to shorter work shadows, providing exposure to general business management, fundraising, licensing, computational bioloagy/AI/ML, vector design and clinical trials. Jonathan would like to thank in particular Luke Tillman (Merton, Immunology) and Ed Fage (Merton, Economics and Management) for their contributions during 2022.
Pictured above are Infinitopes summer interns Jenny Wang (Medicine, Green Templeton) and Luke Tillman (Immunology, Merton), with Jonathan Kwok (Infinitopes CEO & Cancer Vaccines DPhil, Merton). Also on the team are Joana Perry (Infinitopes Operations Manager) and Masy Marinou (Infinitopes Scientist).
