HaemaLogiX - precision immunotherapy for multiple myeloma

Hello, and welcome to Beyond Biotech, the weekly podcast from Le BioTech. I'm Dylan Kossain, and this is episode 190 for the podcast. Today, we welcome doctor Roseanne Dunn, chief scientific officer and cofounder of Hemalogix, an Australian clinical stage biotech company that's developing next generation immunotherapies for multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders. Hemalogic is taking a precision approach by targeting novel antigens that are expressed exclusively on malignant plasma cells, sparing the healthy ones. Recent peer reviewed research has validated KMA and LMA as high value targets, reinforcing the company's unique positioning in the field. Roseanne shares her journey from antibody engineering to building haemalogics, the science behind their differentiated targets, the latest clinical and preclinical progress, and her perspectives on the future of immunotherapy for blood cancers as the company gears up for key milestones, including a planned IPO later this year. It's an exciting time for Australian biotech innovation on the global stage. Let's dive in. Roseanne, welcome to Beyond Biotech. Thanks, Dylan. Very nice to be here. You know, it's it's always fun for me as an Australian to get back and talk to some some Aussie biotechs, especially ones that are starting to make a global impact. Maybe though we can start with you and and your career journey. What first sparked your interest in science? Right. So, I actually did my undergraduate degrees, firstly, my honors degree in biochemistry at University, Cape Town, And then I did a master's of medical science at the University of Natal, medical school. And then subsequently I moved to Australia and did my PhD here at the University of Technology Sydney. Now during my undergraduate years, I was introduced to molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology. And I found these topics fascinating. You know, in particular, the opportunity to use these technologies for clinical purposes, the identity and, you know, and understanding of diseases that have a genetic basis, and also being able to modify proteins that you could actually create, therapeutics with. So that essentially was why and how I was my interest was sparked in science. Mhmm. And you cofounded Hemalogics, you've been a director right from the start. What motivated you to actually start a company though and dive into the business side instead of just the academic, the research side? Sure. So, in the mid nineties, you know, I was fortunate to be offered, a PhD project that involved recombinant DNA technology and the creation of a recombinant immunotoxin from the original antibody that targets kappa myeloma antigen and has subsequently been, humanized to produce, capamab. Now back in that day, back in that era, sort of the late nineties, early two thousands, it was a really exciting era for, you know, it, it, before antibody engineering, in particular the humanization of monoclonal antibodies using CDR grafting, you know, for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, for example, rituximab. Also the, you know, phage display, which is the creation of novel …