Dr. Frank Borriello

Frank Borriello MD, PhD

Alloplex Biotherapeutics Inc. is a privately-owned Boston-based cellular therapeutics company founded in 2016. The concept on which it is based was developed by our scientific founder, Frank Borriello MD, PhD, after observing that many scientific reports indicated that activation of various known immune pathways each resulted in some degree of anti-tumor activity.

Recognizing the advantage of consolidating the activity of multiple immune pathways into a single therapeutic, Dr. Borriello envisioned using a proprietary engineered cell line to train a patient’s white blood cells to recognize and kill cancer cells.

Alloplex reduced this concept to practice with two specialized engineered tumor cell lines, collectively called ENLIST cells. ENLIST cells display an array of protein ligands targeting receptors on multiple PBMC subsets. ENLIST cells activate multiple immune pathways in PBMC in a synergistic manner to yield non-engineered SUPLEXA therapeutic cells which possess potent anti-tumor activity. The SUPLEXA therapeutic cells are comprised of cells long-known by the scientific community to individually possess anti-tumor activity and represent elements of both the innate and adaptive immune systems.

The concept is protected by a combination of patent (U.S. Provisional 62/425424, issued as U.S. Patent 10,731,128 on August 4, 2020) and trade secrets.

Alloplex has refined a first generation autologous SUPLEXA cell drug candidate since 2016. In April 2022, patient enrolment started in the Phase 1 first-in-human clinical trial in Australia.

Key features of SUPLEXA therapeutic cells

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SUPLEXA therapeutic cells are not engineered; they are reprogrammed to recognize and kill tumor cells.

  • Simple, inexpensive and reproducible manufacturing to date in the lab.
  • Successful technical transfer and GMP manufacturing.
  • No genetic engineering.
  • No feeder cells required.
  • All GMP compatible non-xeno sourced reagents.
  • Routinely high yields.
  • Requires only standard and readily available laboratory equipment.

Universally-positive opinion leader responses

Alloplex sought the opinion of a number of cellular therapy experts to solicit their unbiased opinions regarding the differentiation and potential of SUPLEXA therapeutic cells. Their reactions were universally positive.

Responses received include:

  • “For Phase 1, I wouldn’t advise any changes to the current manufacturing procedure.”
  • “Safety is unlikely to be an issue and the multiple mechanisms of action are actually an advantage.”
  • “This is as good as it gets.”
  • “Actually very elegant and I would expect it to be very safe.”

For Scientists

Cells magnetized