CBT Pharmaceuticals is an innovative biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a global leader in developing novel oncology medicines and effective combination therapies for cancer patients. These therapies harness the human immune system and target specific molecular pathways to tame cancer.

Sanjeev Redkar, PhD, MBA, the President and Chief Executive Officer of CBT Pharmaceuticals as well as a company cofounder, comes from a family of physicians. "I always knew that somehow I would end up in the life science industry, which is immensely gratifying and rewarding," he says.

Today he heads CBT, one of the many life science companies that call Pleasanton and Hacienda home. In early 2016, the company spun out of Crown Bioscience and received $5 million in seed funding. In August 2016, it closed on $9.7 million Series A financing.

The company's existing pipeline consists of five development-stage assets include three novel, humanized monoclonal antibodies that help the body's immune system recognize and kill cancer cells, and two targeted therapies against uncontrolled growth signaling pathways.

"We are working toward new treatments that use our own powerful immune systems to kill cancer and allow our bodies to have a memory that helps keep that cancer at bay," says Dr. Redkar. "A lot of companies are working in the area to make meaning improvements and outcomes for cancer patients. Immunotherapy a really exciting space."

There have been many developments in cancer treatment in recent years, including immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs. Such drugs, often made of antibodies, trigger a body's immune system to attack cancer cells. But additional developments are needed.

"We address unmet medical needs in Immuno-Oncology, for example, patients unlikely to respond to a checkpoint inhibitor, patients refractory to checkpoint inhibitors, and patients with tumors where checkpoint inhibitors have minimal activity," says Dr. Redkar.

In July, the company announced that it had initiated a Phase 1b clinical trial for Anti-PD-1 Antibody CBT-501-01 (genolimzumab injection) in patients with advanced solid tumors. According to Dr. Redkar, "We expect the Phase 1b to further evaluate the safety profile of CBT-501 and its utility as a single agent in a number of homogenous tumor types. Results from this study may lead to a Phase 2 trial utilizing CBT-501 as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapies, or other cancer immunotherapy agents."

Bridging the East and West with multiple China partners, CBT is striving to become a gateway to innovation in the East. By harnessing ongoing research and resources in China, the company works to develop more affordable medicines for the rest of the world.

"Over the years I found myself loving the oncology field," says Dr. Redkar. "We perform our work with persistence and a sense of urgency, with integrity and scientific excellence as our guiding principles. By fostering individual performance, teamwork, and the spirit of partnership, we achieve our goals."

After a life-sciences career that spans more than 20 years, Dr. Redkar has learned a great deal about building successful companies. "People are the most important element of a small company," he says. To go beyond your own limitations, "surround yourself with super intelligent people, people who are far more intelligent than you with competencies that are different than yours."

In May 2017, the company opened its headquarters at Hacienda. The company and its local staff of 15 support Open Heart Kitchen and its goal of feeding the hungry of the Tri-Valley.

More more information about CBT Pharmaceuticals, please visit www.cbtpharma.com.