Oslo, Norway, 7. June, 2021 – Nextera AS, a drug and target discovery company built on a unique and novel phage display discovery platform, NextCore, announces the appointment of Dr. Bent Jakobsen to its Board of Directors.
“Nextera’s aim is to engage into strategic commercial partnerships focused on the huge unmet medical demand in autoimmunity and immuno-oncology. To strengthen both this capability and guide further development of the company, Nextera is delighted to welcome Dr. Jakobsen onto our Board of Directors. With his outstanding scientific, entrepreneurial, and commercial track record, Nextera takes a new step forward towards reaching our ambition to build value and benefit to patients by leveraging our NextCore platform. As the founder of advanced clinical stage TCR-based companies, such as Immunocore and Adaptimmune Therapeutics, Dr Jakobsen’s commitment to the board at Nextera represents a considerable strength to us that will impact both on the development of the company and its programs and technology.” said Hans Ivar Robinson, Chairman of the Board, Nextera.
“Through the experience in establishing and developing advanced TCR-based technologies and companies, I see a unique potential in the Nextera platform. Thus, I look forward to commit to the Nextera board and expand the company’s international influence, as well as contribute to the development of its technology and commercial operations.” said Dr. Bent Jakobsen
Dr. Bent Jakobsen is a pioneer in TCR-based immunotherapy. He founded the soluble ImmTAC T cell engager company Immunocore (NASDAQ: IMCR) in 2008 and has served as Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Board Member until 2020. He is also the scientific founder of Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: ADAP), an adoptive TCR cell therapy company, where he was Chief Scientific Officer until 2015, and also served on the board. Prior to this, he founded Avidex Ltd in 1999, a spin-out from the University of Oxford and predecessor to Immunocore and Adaptimmune, which also aimed at developing novel T cell receptor-based drugs and where Bent served as Chief Scientific Officer. Leading up to his commercial activity, Dr. Jakobsen was a Professor at the University of Oxford (UK) heading the Immune Receptor Group at the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) from 1993 to 2000. Bent is currently a visiting professor at University of Oxford, has authored numerous scientific papers and is considered a world expert in the field of TCR immunology. In 2015, he was recognized for his contribution to medical science with an election to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK.