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Left: Daniel Hargrove, co-founder and CEO of InterAct Therapeutics; Right: Isaac Chan, MD, PhD, Co-founder and CSO of InterAct Therapeutics [Photos: LinkedIn]<\/p>\n
Interact Therapeutics, a Dallas-based cancer cell and gene therapy company with links to UT Southwestern and Pegasus Park\u2019s BioLabs, is one of six startups selected for the second cohort of Charles River Laboratories International\u2019s Cell & Gene Therapy Incubator Program (CIP).<\/strong><\/p>\n InterAct, which launched inside BioLabs at Pegasus Park, is a preclinical stage biotech company developing AAV8-based gene therapies for metastatic cancer, with an initial focus on breast cancer-derived liver metastases (BC-LM).<\/p>\n \u201cMetastasis accounts for approximately 90% of cancer deaths, and there is a gaping therapeutic void for patients with BC-LM, who face a survival window of just 3\u201315 months,\u201d Daniel Hargrove, co-founder and CEO of InterAct Therapeutics, said in a statement. \u201cThe acceptance into the Charles River Incubator Program not only validates our novel AAV8 approach, but critically, it will accelerate the development and scale-up of our InterAct Print platform\u2014the real long-term value driver with true multi-indication optionality.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Cracking the \u2018biological code\u2019 on how tumor cells metastasize<\/p>\n Isaac Chan, the scientific leader of InterAct and a UTSW professor and researcher, said InterAct\u2019s approach is a game-changer.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the first time, we\u2019re beginning to crack the biological code on how infiltrating tumor cells create space in distant organs,\u201d added Chan, MD, PhD, co-founder and CSO of InterAct Therapeutics. \u201cOur proprietary InterAct Print computational engine identified the essential genes driving liver colonization and therapeutic targets.\u201d<\/p>\n He also noted the importance of startup support, adding, \u201cThe Charles River Incubator provides the critical manufacturing and scientific support to translate this foundational discovery into a safe, durable, and liver-directed gene therapy for breast cancer liver metastases. We are honored to partner with Charles River.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2024, Chan was UT Southwestern\u2019s principal investigator on a team that received a grant from Dallas-based breast cancer organization Susan G. Komen<\/a> for research on a treatment for metastatic breast cancer.<\/p>\n More on the Cell & Gene Therapy Incubator Program<\/p>\n CIP launched in December 2024, with the\u00a0inaugural cohort announced in April 2025. The program gives early-stage biotechnology pioneers access to extensive scientific and commercial expertise, along with a comprehensive ecosystem of discovery, development, and manufacturing capabilities, to accelerate the development of technologies and life-changing therapies for patients in need.<\/p>\n \u201cThe CIP\u2019s success shows how effectively it attracts top talent and promotes innovation,\u201d Kerstin Dolph, corporate SVP of global manufacturing at Charles River, said in a statement. \u201cBy establishing a strong foundation for commercial viability, the CIP is helping participants advance life-saving therapeutics and transform innovative ideas into real-world impact.\u201d<\/p>\n InterAct is one of four advanced therapy developers in the cohort. The others are London-based CureAge Therapeutics<\/strong>, which is developing a platform to treat peripheral nerve diseases; San Diego-based Jaan Biotherapeutics<\/strong>, a developer of novel therapies designed to activate the cardiac regeneration process in diseased hearts using proprietary microRNA targeting technologies; and Kopra<\/strong> Bio<\/strong>, a San Francisco start-up developing an\u00a0in vivo tumor editing platform targeting solid tumors with an initial focus on the most aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma.<\/p>\n Also in the cohort are two enabling technology developers: Columbia, Maryland-based global supplier of specialty chemicals and pharmaceutical solutions W.R. Grace & Co., which is advancing bioprocessing applications for its proprietary superparamagnetic silica technology in plasmid DNA production; and HTLab AG\u2019s Biowerkli, a Swiss-based technology company that uses open source AI to empower the global biotech community with transparent, accessible AI, digitalization, and smart biomanufacturing tools to accelerate the development of safe, life-changing therapies for patients by turning disconnected data into a predictive engine for manufacturing and release success..<\/p>\n According to Wilmington, Massachusetts-based Charles River Laboratories, program participants benefit from custom mentorship, regulatory and quality consultations, fit-for-purpose training initiatives, and preferential access to Charles River\u2019s global network of facilities, \u201ccurated to support cell and gene therapies from concept to cure.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss what\u2019s next. Subscribe\u00a0to\u00a0Dallas\u00a0Innovates.<\/p>\n Track Dallas-Fort Worth\u2019s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \tR E A D\u00a0\u00a0 N E X T\t<\/p>\n North Texas’ Nanoscope just filed an FDA bid for its gene-agnostic therapy. If approved, it could help restore sight for people with inherited blindness, and potentially millions more with other retinal diseases.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas offers funding opportunities for promising cancer research, product development, and prevention programs. The state-funded initiative stands as the second-largest public backer of cancer research in the U.S. after the National Cancer Institute.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Funding 25 projects across 17 institutions, the Dallas-founded nonprofit is prioritizing metastatic disease, precision medicine, and closing care gaps.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Later this spring, an inspiring work of public art is going up in downtown Dallas, honoring cancer survivors from its placement above the Cancer Survivors\u2019 Plaza. The installation\u2014originally conceived by artist and Aurora co-founder Joshua King in 2016\u2014tells the deeply personal stories of four cancer survivors.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Schneider will remain involved as honorary vice chair as the board launches a national search for her successor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Left: Daniel Hargrove, co-founder and CEO of InterAct Therapeutics; Right: Isaac Chan, MD, PhD, Co-founder and CSO of…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":442117,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5135],"tags":[5229,203850,203851,91551,6958,186922,203852,203853,181700,203854,203855,203856,1596,203857,203858,14491,203859,59,203860,203861,203862,203863,203864,203865,203866,358,3187,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,27373,203867,203868],"class_list":{"0":"post-442116","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dallas","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-biotech-cancer","10":"tag-biotech-startup","11":"tag-breast-cancer-research","12":"tag-cancer-research","13":"tag-cancer-therapeutic","14":"tag-cell-gene-therapy-incubator-program","15":"tag-cell-and-gene-therapy","16":"tag-charles-river","17":"tag-charles-river-laboratories-international","18":"tag-cip","19":"tag-cureage-therapeutics","20":"tag-dallas","21":"tag-daniel-hargrove","22":"tag-dr-isaac-chan","23":"tag-gene-therapy","24":"tag-htlab-ags-biowerkli","25":"tag-inc","26":"tag-interact-therapeutics","27":"tag-isaac-chan","28":"tag-jaan-biotherapeutics","29":"tag-kerstin-dolph","30":"tag-kopra-bio","31":"tag-spinout-ut-southwestern","32":"tag-spinout-utsw","33":"tag-texas","34":"tag-tx","35":"tag-united-states","36":"tag-united-states-of-america","37":"tag-unitedstates","38":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","39":"tag-us","40":"tag-usa","41":"tag-ut-southwestern","42":"tag-utsw","43":"tag-w-r-grace-co-grace"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=442116"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442116\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/442117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=442116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=442116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=442116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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