Alan Korman, Ph.D., Joins BlueSphere Bio As New Chief Scientific Officer To Lead TCR-T Cell Therapy Innovation

BlueSphere Bio, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative T cell-based therapies, has announced the appointment of Alan Korman, Ph.D., as its Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Korman has been a member of the company’s Board of Directors since 2020 and brings with him over three decades of experience in immunology and drug discovery.

Dr. Korman joins BlueSphere after serving as the Senior Vice President of Human Immunology at Vir Biotechnology, where he played a key role in advancing immunological research and therapeutic strategies. Prior to that, he held the position of Vice President of Immuno-Oncology Discovery at Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), where he led significant efforts in cancer immunotherapy. His earlier experience includes various leadership roles at Medarex, ultimately becoming Vice President of Discovery Research. 

During his time at Medarex and BMS, Dr. Korman was instrumental in the development of immune checkpoint blockade therapies for cancer treatment. He directed the preclinical development of Yervoy (ipilimumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab), as well as their combination therapies, which have had a significant impact on improving outcomes for cancer patients and advancing the field of immuno-oncology.

Keir Loiacono, Esq., Chief Executive Officer of BlueSphere Bio, said in a statement, “We are honored to have Dr. Korman as our new Chief Scientific Officer. His leadership and esteemed track record pioneering transformational therapies will be instrumental in advancing our pipeline with an increased focus on TCR-based modalities, including bispecifics. Alan’s deep expertise in biologics and drug discovery will further position BlueSphere to ensure we are pursuing novel tumor antigens deployable in next generation treatment modalities. This will include overseeing our current discovery program in dark matter antigens.”

Dr. Korman stated, “I am excited to evolve my role and further contribute to BlueSphere’s future. As an original Board member, having observed BSB’s early evolution and entry into clinical development, I am eager to lead its highly capable research team as we build a differentiated pipeline of clinically and commercially relevant assets. As a Board member, I have interacted closely with the Executive Team at BlueSphere and look forward to working alongside them.”

Dr. Korman began his career in the pharmaceutical industry at Supragen and NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, where he served as Director of Immunology. He holds a Ph.D. in Cellular and Developmental Biology from Harvard University, a master’s degree in Biology from Harvard, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Brandeis University. Following his academic training, he completed a fellowship at the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to his extensive professional background, Dr. Korman is the holder of more than 30 patents and played a pivotal role in the discovery of the first anti-CTLA-4 checkpoint inhibitor, a major milestone in the evolution of cancer immunotherapy.