3T Biosciences Announces Appointments of Behzad Kharabi, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, and Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) CEO Karen Knudsen, MBA, Ph.D., to Board of Directors

Kharabi led development of CD19 CAR-T therapy TECARTUS^®; brings extensive cell and gene therapy expertise to guide 3T’s bispecific T-cell engager programs into the clinic

Knudsen oversees more than 100 immunotherapy studies at PICI; adds deep translational oncology insight to help shape 3T’s scientific and clinical strategy

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--3T Biosciences, an immunotherapy company changing the future of treatment for solid tumors and other immune-mediated diseases, today announced the appointments of Behzad Kharabi, M.D., as chief medical officer, and Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, Ph.D., chief executive officer (CEO) of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), to its board of directors. The appointments bring extensive clinical development, translational oncology, and strategic leadership experience as the company advances its pipeline of bispecific T-cell engager (TCE) therapeutics for solid tumors.

“We are pleased to welcome Behzad and Karen to 3T Biosciences at a pivotal stage for the company,” said Stefan Scherer, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of 3T Biosciences. “Behzad has led global development programs for some of the most impactful cell therapies in our field, including the approval of TECARTUS^® for the treatment of certain blood cancers.”

“Karen’s leadership at PICI and across the oncology ecosystem brings an invaluable perspective to our board,” added Dr. Scherer. “Her insight will help guide our strategy as we expand our pipeline and advance differentiated TCE candidates.”

“TCE therapies represent one of the most promising frontiers in immuno-oncology, particularly for solid tumors where existing approaches have fallen short,” said Dr. Kharabi. “What stands out at 3T, is the ability to discover and validate truly novel, druggable T-cell receptor (TCR) targets with a level of specificity we haven’t seen before. This opens the door to therapies with greater potency and safety, and I’m eager to help bring these innovations to patients.”

“3T is tackling one of the toughest challenges in immuno-oncology: delivering potent, selective TCR therapies for solid tumors,” said Dr. Knudsen. “The science is compelling, and the opportunity for patient impact is significant. I’m pleased to support the team as they move these programs forward.”

New CMO Brings Proven Cell Therapy Development Track Record

Dr. Kharabi brings more than 20 years of academic, clinical, and global drug development experience to 3T, including various roles with increasing responsibility at Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Kite Pharmaceuticals/Gilead Sciences, and T-Knife Therapeutics. He led the clinical development for TECARTUS^® (brexucabtagene autoleucel), a CD19-directed CAR-T cell therapy used to treat certain blood cancers. Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, he served as an independent research investigator at the University Hospital of Aachen, Germany, where he received several research awards and grants including the prestigious Ernst-Jung Award for junior investigators. Dr. Kharabi earned a medical degree from the University of Muenster, Germany and completed research appointments at internally renowned institutes such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

PICI CEO Joins Board of Directors

Dr. Knudsen is the chief executive officer of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), where she leads efforts to advance bold science, catalyze cross-institutional collaboration, and accelerate breakthrough immune-based therapies with the goal of turning all cancers into curable diseases. A globally recognized leader and cancer scientist known for discoveries that shaped understanding and clinical management of advanced prostate cancer, she brings deep expertise in healthcare innovation, strategic partnerships, and organizational growth to 3T.

At PICI, Dr. Knudsen oversees a portfolio of more than 100 clinical and preclinical studies spanning combination immunotherapies, emerging technologies, and cell-based gene therapies. She previously served as CEO of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the ACS Cancer Action Network advocacy affiliate, where she guided major expansions in research investment, advocacy, and patient support. She also held senior executive roles at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, served as executive director and executive vice president of oncology services for the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, and served on national committees including the NCI Board of Scientific Advisors, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, the American Society for Clinical Oncology, and the American Association for Cancer Research. Dr. Knudsen holds a doctorate in biological sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Temple University.

About 3T Biosciences

3T Biosciences is a clinical-stage immunotherapy developing next-generation T-cell engager therapeutics against novel targets in cancer and other immune-related diseases. Powered by its proprietary 3T-TRACE™ discovery platform, the company integrates high-diversity experimental libraries with advanced machine learning to systematically identify tumor-specific targets and engineer highly selective T-cell receptor (TCR)-derived therapeutics. This end-to-end approach is designed to overcome key limitations of traditional TCR-based drug development, including target specificity and cross-reactivity risk. 3T Biosciences has built a differentiated pipeline of pHLA-directed therapies addressing high unmet medical need and is advancing its lead program toward first-in-human clinical studies. For more information, please visit https://3tbiosciences.com.