Alain Bendavid, PhD

Alain Bendavid is a pioneer in the field of chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) T cell therapy for cancer, having conceived the concept of costimulatory/2nd-generation CARs back in 1994 during his Ph.D. studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science under the guidance of Zelig Eshhar.

His groundbreaking work demonstrated the critical role of costimulatory CARs in activating primary resting naive T cells effectively upon interacting with target antigens, leading to the development of a new paradigm in CAR design for potential curative treatments in cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune conditions.

Alain's contributions to the field have significantly influenced the direction of cancer therapy, with subsequent clinical applications of costimulatory CAR T cell therapy showing unprecedented remission rates in patients with refractory hematological cancers.

Beyond his research achievements, Alain Bendavid is a seasoned intellectual property (IP) professional with over 14 years of diverse international experience in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors.

His expertise includes developing and executing patent portfolio strategies, managing patent prosecution processes, and providing IP guidance in various areas such as immuno-therapeutics and biomarker-based diagnostics.

Alain has held key positions in renowned organizations such as the Center for the Commercialization of Antibodies and Biologics (CCAB) and GeneNews Corporation/Chondrogene Ltd., where he directed international patent portfolio strategies and managed IP practices related to immunotherapy, transplantation, cell therapy, and cancer therapy.