The Science of Immunology | Dr. Benjamin Chen

 

About Dr. Benjamin Chen

Dr. Benjamin Chen is the CEO and Chairman of Immune Targeting Systems (ITS), a company in the field of Immunology which is dedicating to creating vaccines for viral infections. During his career Dr. Chen has worked as a scientist, banker and entrepreneur. In addition to his duties at ITS he manages his own practice at Ignatius Transaction Partners. He has significant experience in building research teams in the fields of immunology, gene therapy and stem cell biology for multinational pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology start-ups. Dr. Chen received his Ph.D. in Immunology /Cancer Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his Post-Doctoral training in Cell Biology/Immunology from Stanford University School of Medicine.

 

Transcript:

Alan
Welcome back. I’m here today with Benjamin Chen. He’s the CEO of immune targeting system. Let’s start with your background that interesting you have a PhD. So what exactly is the study of immunology?

Benjamin
Immunology is in many ways a discipline involved in many different aspects of biology. But in a nutshell, you think about when you get a vaccine that’s involved immunology, you get vaccinated, right, telling volume Rhinology, when people have cancer, some of the treatments involve stimulating the immune systems to fight cancer. When you have infectious diseases, such in many ways, the reason you get better is because the immune system is helping to get rid of some of the infectious agents and such. So immunology is a very broad discipline, in many ways is part of your part of your body systems to fight. infectious agents, cancers, or anything that not good for you, in some ways is protecting is a protective system.

Alan
I remember growing up, you know, oftentimes, the cold and flu season would come. And back then they always said, you know, we can’t find a cure for the common cold. Is it true still today? Or?

Benjamin
Yeah, so there’s a difference between common cold and flu. Right? So flu is caused by what we call a virus. And common CO is caused by bacteria to come and go is you can be treated like including chicken soup and such, and get some rest and such virus in fluids very different. And it’s good that you mentioned that because the company that I’m involved in is trying to tackle this particular problem. And the later time can talk about that.

Alan
Okay, so it’s interesting that the bacteria versus the virus a virus is easier to treat?

Benjamin
No, actually, a virus is more difficult to treat bacteria, most bacterias easier to treat antibiotics, but because on the other hand, these days, you hear all about antibiotic resistant bacteria and such. So things are getting more complicated.

Alan
But what gave you the inspiration to do your own company? Is this your first company that targeting immune systems? Or did you do other ventures prior to this?

Benjamin
Well, I have been involved in five different companies in my career. Yeah. And I caught the bug of being involved in biotechnology, as I mentioned earlier. So when I was at Stanford, I saw many of the professors were often start companies. The goal here is instead of just doing research to answer scientific questions and address some of the scientific curiosity, I should say, or this is what I discover how can I apply that in a real situation that can help people and improve human health? For example, you say, can we treat flu? That’s an important question, especially for the elderly population. Right? So is that kind of inspirations or anything? Yeah, you know, I can be involved in scientific discovery in a very different setting, in a company setting where when I wake you now to see if we can develop a drug or treatment that will help people.

Alan
When we’re dealing with the industry of immunology. Yeah. It seems that there would have to be a lot of collaboration and sharing amongst the different scientists or are different patterns, is that true?

Benjamin
Oh, absolutely. especially true in immunology, as I pointed out, it is really a discipline. So I suppose to chemistry and it is not as clear cut physics, chemistry, when you mention that word. You know, roughly what you did with immunology is a multidisciplinary approach involve different different disciplines. So involve computational biology, involve molecular biology involved physiologist and such. So absolutely. Collaboration is critical.

Alan
And visiting here today with Benjamin Chen, he is the CEO of immune targeting systems. They say that right?

Benjamin
Absolutely. Yeah. We could call it Yes,

Alan
Yeah. And they’re actually located out of London and, and we have to take a quick break here today. And when we get back we’ll we’ll get back more specifics of how they go about tackling the flu, vaccination and other other viruses today. We’ll be right back after these messages.

Alan
Welcome back. I’m here today with Benjamin Chen. He has a PhD in immunology. And he’s currently serving as the CEO of immune targeting systems. And they’re they’re located are you you’re doing most of your work out of London? I

Benjamin
understand. Yeah, the company’s space in the central London. Yeah.

Alan
Now, tell me what was? Was it from a strategic standpoint that London was chosen? Is it a little easier to get your science and research out the market? And another country? Or what? You know, why London?

Benjamin
No, we have this saying, a good idea can be a company can be stalled in any part of the world. In essence, we’re focused on the global market. And so there are a number of factors why this company is located in London, and often time, the two major factors are where you can get money. And two way can you get talent, right. And then, of course, Silicon Valley is the birthplace of both plays about technology, oftentimes, companies to start here, but the competition’s very stiff in both in terms of getting money. And, and, and also getting assessing talents and such. So they are entrepreneurs to, you know, where their homes are in in London, there’s no reason for them to come to Silicon Valley’s. And so there’s an opportunity for them to access the European capital for them to build a company. And that’s what they’ve done.

Alan
I understand you’re, you’re part of what you research and your mission statement over there is, is is focusing on flu viruses. How do you go about once you your target a certain flu virus? How do you go about distributing that into the mass markets?

Benjamin
Yeah, that’s a very important question. But before we go there, let me just tell you a little bit about what we do. So that put in perspective on how we need to get how we should get it out to people in mass. So what we doing, in addition to flu, we also products and hepatitis and cancer, but let’s just focus on flu first. Why flu, right? Today, when flu season comes in such a way as to get yourself vaccinated, what what you may not know is that those who get vaccinated if you were healthy, only about 60% of your protected and few the elderly population of the very young, the protection rate is even much lower. So in 2012, the protection rate of those vectors less than 10%. So what is going on here parlez, because the virus that we produce, to vet use for vaccinated to be changed every year because the virus mutate. And and by the time you get it manufactured, the virus may have already changes. When I say mutate, that means change. And so it’s not very good and elicit an immune system to protect yourself. This is long winded way of saying that, but nevertheless, it’s very important put in perspective on how big this opportunity is how big this threat is, especially when you have a situation when you have a pandemic flu or swine flu as part of influenza, it is a very, very, very nasty flu virus came out and we were not prepared. And so, how we need to distribute it is really need to work with a big pharmaceutical company, a small company by immune target system is really good in the discovery and pushing the science forward, get the product into a clinical study in late stage clinical study. And then the big company needs to come in companies like Novartis and SmithKline GSK since such which has a dominant position in influenza space, they need to take you through the global regulatory approval, they need to use the distribution channel they need to promote this particular product. So next time when that when so when this product comes out and such may you may see a commercial from GSK say go get vaccinated. And this is the new product that we’re introducing that give you greater than 90% protection. So that will be the the goal what we’re trying to achieve and coming back to You the commercial aspect is really through partnership.

Alan
And visiting here today with Benjamin Chen. He is the CEO of targeting immune systems and organizations based out of London and they do a lot of research on the virus viruses that are out there with flu, cancer and hepatitis C, B, B, Hepatitis B. Benadryl, I need to take a quick break. When we get back, I want to talk about the increasing difficulty with the strains of viruses. I guess when we talk about how they mutate, it gets more difficult to control. Yeah, we’ll be right back after these messages.

Alan
Welcome back. I’m here today with Benjamin Chen. He is the CEO of immune targeting systems are based out of London. And we’ve been talking about the the aspects of which your company is focused in the cancer research, focus on hepatitis B, and the flu viruses. I want to back up and say, Ben, what brought you to this company? And you were in Stanford doing research over there and did a couple of venture but what did you see in in this company and taking the problems on?

Benjamin
It’s great question, the pause to think about how that happened. I think part of it is because step back for a minute, I’m a scientist by training. But I’m always interested in cutting edge technology, cutting edge technology and want to be involved in ways to help move some of those cutting edge technology into potential commercial products. So there was a period of time I became a investment banker, and was involved in the venture fund. And actually a period of time is nine years when I was involved with one of the leading Life Sciences venture firm. And I have this habit of monitoring what’s happening in different parts of the world and promising companies. And the targeting system was one company caught my eye when they first got started. Because I thought the value proposition and then how to address this very difficult problem was based on two things, one is based on the mistakes others have made. And two is capturing the new scientific developments that combine the two, we were very attractive platform when I saw them. Eight years ago, there was just ideas, not a whole lot there. And I stay in touch, and to see if they can do some proof of concept data’s in such and three years ago, I met up with the CEO in San Francisco where I’m based and and so they are very interested in data and now conversation lead to where I can help them to position the company in North American in China, I signed on to do that in the process and also got to know the investors who are some of the blue chip investors, including of ours venture fund, healthcare app and shuffle capital for those who have you involved in biotech industry, you know, these are very well known investors. And the conversation leads to the fact is that investors want to take the company to the next level. And I was brought in to make that happen. And they appointed me, the CI CEO and the chairman of the company to allow me to do my job better. And the team is very small team is about 20 people very typical of a startup company, mostly involved in r&d. And our goal here is that I can use my network to broaden the reach of the company to help them form partnerships and help them to link up with key opinion leaders in the universities to get the word out the exciting things that they doing, and phone collaboration. So have collaboration with Stanford would do with Cambridge University and peer college, so on so forth. This pilot is out effort to move that forward. I emphasize too much and certain other aspects of the other areas that you would like want me to expand on I’d be happy to do that.

Alan
Immune otology Is it a small industry in the life sciences area.

Benjamin
Immunology has always been a very important therapeutic area, we’ll call it in, in the biotech industry, but it’s a very complex area because if you look at individuals, your immune system is very different from my immune system, and so on so forth for various different factors. So it’s very difficult to design a drug that works in every every individuals out there. And it’s also very difficult to find a good way to stimulate the immune system of different individuals. However, there are some breakthroughs that are happening just in the last two years. In fact, some of the scientific journals and magazines such as highlighting the breakthroughs, immunology, and to the future is changing quite a bit this moment. So a lot of exciting things are happening.

Alan
It seems like every every flu season cold and flu season, there becomes stronger and stronger strains out there, people are getting sicker and sicker. Is that my perception? Or is there some truth to the matter about? You know, sometimes some of these trains are very difficult and yeah,

Benjamin
One the issue here is that we think we’re very smart. But infectious pathogens are very smart in fighting for their survival as well. So for example, flu, for example, is one that is very good in adapting itself, like so just when we developed immune system to last year’s flu, another flu may come in and present itself very differently. So our body did not recognize that right away, it’ll prepare to fight off that particular strain. And that’s one of the cause why we perceive that the virus is getting more and more very Lin nasty, if you will. And then yes, as a result is that the symptoms are much stronger

Alan
When cold and flu season comes. Yeah. See at the local drugstore to giving flu vaccinations. Is it is it a generic vaccination? I mean, there’s there’s one vaccination work for all or? Or do you find that some of these viruses and cultures are getting much stronger to where? Yeah, some vaccines may not be taken effect yet? Absolutely.

Benjamin
That’s a great question. So I use some scientific terms describe that. But don’t be. Don’t worry about that. So the C’s, the flu vaccine is aimed to elicit a B cell antibody response in your body. And most of us who has been exposed to flu before, once we see the vaccine will produce an antibody response time. The question here is whether you have one strong enough antibody response or two, if you have the right response for that season’s flu, because as I pointed out to you, the virus is very smart in escaping our immune system, the part that’s recognized by the antibody is the one the virus is going to change. And so the vaccine is universal in the sense that anyone can use it the way that you your body will respond to properly. That is the key there is the issue. And that is the reason why we talk about that there is room for improvement.

Alan
And how does the person find out more about your company new targeting systems,

Benjamin
Just like anything else, if you google your targeting systems, you’ll find quite a bit about company because we do participate in conferences and present our data as we publish our findings in journals and such

Alan
Ben, I appriciate you being on today’s show. We need to take a quick break. We’ve been visiting here today with Ben Chen, he’s the CEO of immune targeting systems. We’ll be right back after these messages.

 

 

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This transcript was generated by software and may not accurately reflect exactly what was said.

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