About Sari Pesonen

Most of us aim to pursue a career that we feel has a positive impact and that we find meaningful. For me, I have found this professional passion in the development of cancer immunotherapies. I find the everlasting battle between cancer cells and the human immune system stunningly intriguing. Like in every quality thriller, the winner of the battle is certainly not obvious all the time. However, in light of recent achievements in the clinical development of different cancer immunotherapy modalities, we are seeing more and more signals suggesting that good (the human immune system) will eventually overcome evil.

I have conducted a clinical and preclinical research around oncolytic virus-based cancer immunotherapy for the last 15 years. Following my years as an academic, I first lead clinical research in a biotech company called Oncos Therapeutics (nowadays Targovax as the result of a merger). At Oncos, we were among the first researchers to publish data describing the immunological mode-of-action of oncolytic virus immunotherapy in a formal Phase I clinical trial. This trial was an eye-opening experience, and ignited a spark to think deeply how to develop the concept further, to harness the full potential of oncolytic viruses for the benefit of patients. The answer to this question materialized in 2016, when I co-founded Valo Therapeutics, a start-up company developing a novel platform for cancer immunotherapy combining oncolytic adenoviruses and peptide vaccines in an innovative way. After four years of intensive preclinical development work, this new concept (PeptiCRAd – Peptide coated Conditionally Replicating Adenovirus) will enter clinical testing later this year (2021).

The greatest innovations in the field of cancer immunotherapy are still to be discovered and I feel blessed to have the privilege to work with our highly dedicated team and external partners, as we endeavor to provide even better (more effective – less toxic) cancer immunotherapy options for cancer patients.