T-knife Therapeutics Welcomes Dr. Sophie Papa to its Board of Directors

SAN FRANCISCO and BERLIN, Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — T-knife Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cell therapies (TCR-T) to fight cancer, today announced the appointment of Sophie Papa, FRCP, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Papa to our Board of Directors,” stated Thomas M. Soloway, President and Chief Executive Officer. “T-knife is rapidly advancing TK-6302, a Supercharged PRAME targeting TCR-T rationally designed with next-generation enhancements to improve T cell fitness and persistence, and to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor micro-environment. Dr. Papa brings deep expertise in translational medicine and cell therapy studies in solid tumor cancers. We are pleased to be able to work with Dr. Papa and draw upon her years of knowledge as we advance our TK-6302 program toward CTA submission later this year.”

About Sophie Papa, FRCP, Ph.D.
As a medical oncologist, Dr. Papa has broad expertise in the cancer immunotherapy space. She currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Enara Bio, a biotechnology company advancing novel T cell receptor (TCR) directed immunotherapies against unconventional targets, and as a Venture Partner at RA Capital. As the program lead for cell therapy at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Early Phase Trials Team (GSTFT), Dr. Papa developed expertise across the life cycle of complex cellular therapies, with a particular focus on the design and delivery of first-in-human studies of T cell therapies for solid tumors. Dr. Papa completed her medical training at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London and went on to complete a Ph.D. in solid tumor CAR-T cell cancer immunotherapy at King’s College London. As a clinical academic, her research interest has been in the field of immune-oncology, particularly enhancing CAR-T cell clinical translation and understanding the role of the immune system in checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

“I am very pleased to join the T-knife Board of Directors during this transformational time for the company,” commented Dr. Papa. “T-knife has firmly established itself as an emerging leader in the field of TCR-T, focused on deep science and quality manufacturing. I believe that TK-6302 has the potential to drive significant advances and establish a best-in-class profile in cancer indications with significant unmet need. Most importantly, T-knife shares my commitment to advancing therapies that make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, their families, and caregivers.”

About T-knife Therapeutics
T-knife is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cell therapies (TCR-Ts) that deliver broad, deep and durable responses to solid tumor cancer patients. The company’s unique approach leverages its proprietary platforms and synthetic biology capabilities to design the next-generation of supercharged TCR-Ts with best-in-class potential.

The company’s lead program, TK-6302, is a Supercharged PRAME targeting TCR-T that includes novel enhancements to improve T cell fitness and persistence, to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor micro-environment, and to improve durability of response. The company plans to submit a clinical trial application (CTA) in the fall of 2025 to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical study of TK-6302 in 2026.

T-knife was founded by leading T cell and immunology experts utilizing technology developed at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine together with the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, is led by an experienced management team, and is supported by a leading group of international investors, including Andera Partners, EQT Life Sciences, RA Capital Management and Versant Ventures. For additional information, please visit the company’s website at www.t-knife.com.

T-knife Therapeutics, Inc.
Camille Landis
Chief Business Officer / Chief Financial Officer
media@t-knife.com