2025 - Startup Spotlight Finalists
STAb Therapeutics
Profile
With the mission to fully re-arm the immune system of patients against cancer, STAb Tx starts its journey in 2022 to develop and bring to patients a next generation cell immunotherapy. STAb Tx is a biotech spin-off from the Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre (H12O) rooted in the research of the Immuno-oncology and Immunotherapy Unit led by Dr. Luis Alvarez-Vallina. It leverages a deep understanding of the immune system in cancer and genetic bioengineering of therapeutics antibodies for the development of an innovative cell immunotherapy, STAb-T therapies, aimed at efficiently redirecting the entire immune system for tumor treatment. The Company was launched to tackle both solid and hematological tumors with the support of CRIS Cancer Foundation, harnessing the groundbreaking discoveries from the laboratories of the main co-founders Dr. Luis Alvarez-Vallina and Dr. Belén Blanco who have their laboratories at the H12O/CNIO and ISCIII Center of Advanced Therapies, respectively. Our cutting-edge STAb-T cell therapy is a next generation of cell immunotherapy developed through genetic engineering of patients' T cells. Our novel therapy enables in situ secretion of bispecific T-cell engagers (TCE) by STAb-T cells, facilitating a specific targeted attack against tumor cells by redirecting both STAb-T and bystander unmodified patient T cells towards tumor-associated antigens. STAb Tx is based in Madrid. It has less than 10 employees that provide the backbone for the business strategy and scientific operations, with the invaluable support of our co-founders and our Scientific Advisory Board composed of clinician scientists Dr. Luis Paz-Ares (H12O, CNIO), Dr. Joaquín Martínez (H12O/CNIO) and Dr. Richard Vile (Mayo Clinic). This outstanding board is composed of leaders in their : immunotherapy and translational oncology. The CEO, Dr. Carolina Pola, has extensive experience in business development in early stage biotech.