Ankyra Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has announced the appointment of Sailaja Battula, PhD, as its new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). The company is focused on developing anchored drug conjugate technologies for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases.
Dr. Battula brings more than ten years of experience across immuno-oncology, drug discovery, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Her background includes advancing therapeutic programs from early discovery through late-stage development, as well as building scientific teams and collaborating with academic and industry partners.
Professional Background and Experience
Prior to joining Ankyra Therapeutics, Dr. Battula held multiple leadership roles in the biotechnology sector. Most recently, she served as Director of Immuno-Oncology at Immuneering Corporation. Before that, she was Associate Director and Program Lead in Immuno-Oncology at Bicycle Therapeutics, where her work focused on bicyclic peptides, including T cell agonists, tumor-targeting bispecifics, and innate immune activators.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Battula contributed to immunology and inflammation research programs at Forma Therapeutics and Applied Immunology. She earned her PhD in Pharmacology from New York Medical College and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, working in the laboratories of Dr. Courtney Broaddus and Dr. Lisa Coussens.
Role at Ankyra Therapeutics
In her new role, Dr. Battula will lead Ankyra’s scientific strategy and oversee the development of the company’s research and clinical pipeline. Commenting on the appointment, Howard Kaufman, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Ankyra Therapeutics, stated that her experience in immuno-oncology program development and team leadership aligns with the company’s current stage of growth.
Dr. Battula noted that she looks forward to contributing to the expansion of Ankyra’s pipeline and shaping its scientific direction as the company advances its therapeutic programs.
Overview of Tolododekin Alfa (ANK-101)
Tolododekin alfa (ANK-101) is Ankyra’s lead clinical candidate and an anchored drug conjugate composed of interleukin-12 (IL-12) linked to aluminum hydroxide. The design enables localized delivery of IL-12 to the tumor microenvironment, where it remains biologically active for an extended period while limiting systemic exposure.
Preclinical studies have shown that ANK-101 is associated with immune activation and tumor regression in animal models. The therapy is currently being evaluated in patients with advanced solid tumors, both as a monotherapy and in combination with anti–PD-1 agents.
The ongoing first-in-human clinical trial (NCT06171750) includes dose-escalation, combination dose-expansion with cemiplimab, and dose-optimization cohorts. A separate clinical study, ANK-101-004 (NCT07027514), is planned to focus on patients with non-mutated metastatic non small cell lung cancer.
About Ankyra Therapeutics
Ankyra Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing a technology platform designed to expand the therapeutic window of immunotherapies. The platform aims to create a stable drug depot following local administration, enabling prolonged immune activation while reducing systemic toxicity. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Written by Nare Hovhannisyan , MD