Aurion Biotech Makes Strategic Investment in Manufacturing

Aurion Biotech, a clinical-stage biotech company, committed to developing a transformational platform of advanced therapies to cure blindness, has appointed Tim Largen as Vice President of Manufacturing.

Aurion Biotech’s First Candidate

The biotech company’s first candidate is a cell therapy for the treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction, invented by the world-renowned ophthalmic surgeon and research scientist Professor Shigeru Kinoshita and his colleagues at Kyoto Prefecture University of Medicine (KPUM) in Japan.

Acquiring the technology in 2020, Aurion Biotech is preparing to submit an NDA for market approval in Japan and an IND for clinical trials in the US.

Tim Largen Joins Aurion Biotech 

Bringing more than 20 years of experience in helping companies to move from clinical development into commercial production in gene and cell therapies, Largen joins Aurion Biotech from Lykan Bioscience where he led manufacturing sciences and technologies supporting a diverse client base. 

“I’m excited to dedicate my efforts to such a transformational treatment for patients suffering from corneal blindness. The culture and team at Aurion Biotech are top-notch, and I look forward to working with colleagues and collaborators to improve patients’ lives,” added Largen.

Based in Seattle, Largen will lead the strategy and development of Aurion Biotech’s global cell manufacturing capabilities. As part of his role, Largen will manage the internal team at Aurion Biotech, and - being a division of CorneaGen, Inc - work with external teams at Cognate BioServices, Inc, a Charles River Company, and S-RACMO to support cell production in the US and Japan. 

“The manufacture of our cells is core to Aurion Biotech’s strategy and is integral to our success. Since cell therapy is an emerging field, cell production experience is rare. By selecting S-RACMO and Cognate, and by bringing on Tim Largen to lead these teams, I am confident that we have assembled best-in-class resources to further differentiate our cell manufacturing capabilities,” said Greg Kunst, chief executive officer of Aurion Biotech.

“We were drawn to Cognate for many reasons, including Cognate’s nearly two decades of cell therapy experience and established track record. We look forward to working together to produce quality systems to meet GMP compliance as we plan and prepare for clinical trials,” added Kunst.

“Aurion Biotech’s patient-first approach aligns with our own values of providing the highest quality, life-changing products to patients that need them the most,” said Will Isom, general manager at Charles River Laboratories.