Memgen

About Memgen

Memgen, Inc. operates as a clinical-stage biotechnology company, founded in 2004 by Robert Coates, PhD, who now serves as the Executive Chairman. The firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and is focused on developing viral immunotherapies designed to activate the body's immune system to combat cancer and infectious diseases. The company's business model centers on the research, development, and eventual commercialization of its proprietary therapeutic candidates. Funding is secured through venture capital financing, with the company having raised approximately $13 million across six funding rounds, including a significant Series A round.

The core of Memgen's therapeutic platform is its proprietary CD40L transgene, designated MEM40, which is engineered to stimulate powerful, antigen-specific immune responses. This technology is the backbone of its product pipeline. The company's lead candidate in oncology, MEM-288, is an oncolytic virus developed through a collaboration with the Moffitt Cancer Center. MEM-288 is designed to selectively target and destroy cancer cells while simultaneously expressing MEM40 and interferon beta to generate a systemic anti-tumor immune response. It is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with initial results showing tumor shrinkage and disease control in 50% of participants. Beyond cancer, Memgen is developing MemVax, a vaccine adjuvant intended to be combined with other vaccines to produce a more robust and durable immune response.

Leadership transitioned in March 2020, with Gregory B. Brown, MD, appointed as CEO, bringing experience from the biotechnology and finance sectors, including co-founding Healthcare Royalty Partners. Founder Robert Coates, PhD, who holds a doctorate in Finance, Accounting, and Economics, moved to the role of Executive Chairman. The scientific direction is guided by Chief Scientific Officer Mark Cantwell, PhD, an inventor on multiple patented technologies including Memgen's viral cancer immunotherapies, who holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences. The company's development is supported by strategic licensing agreements with institutions like the Moffitt Cancer Center, which are crucial for advancing its product candidates through the clinical trial process.