WAYNE, P.A., and UTRECHT, NETHERLANDS — September 30, 2025 — NanoCell Therapeutics, Inc. (“NanoCell”), a biotechnology company developing a non-viral, DNA-based in vivo gene therapy platform, today announced the appointments of Prof. Zoltán Ivics, PhD, Jens Hasskarl, MD, PhD, and Jake Brenner, MD, PhD, to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
“Drs. Ivics, Hasskarl, and Brenner bring expertise that spans the entire gene therapy development spectrum, from foundational research through commercial success to clinical practice,” said Dr. Maurits Geerlings, CEO and President of NanoCell. “Our team looks forward to working closely with them as we advance NanoCell toward its next milestones.”
Dr. Ivics is a distinguished molecular biologist and gene therapy expert who currently serves as Professor at the Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, and Head of Department for Clinical Gene Transfer at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany. His scientific achievements include the molecular reconstruction of the Sleeping Beauty transposon, which earned “Molecule of the Year” recognition in 2009 and has opened new pathways for clinical gene therapy applications. With over 190 peer-reviewed publications, more than 8,000 citations, and 12 patents, Ivics has established himself as a leading authority in the field. He brings extensive leadership experience to the NanoCell board, serving as current president of the German Society of Gene Therapy and as an elected member of both the Academia Europaea and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Hasskarl is a board-certified hematologist and oncologist and seasoned clinical developer, with a given track record in the cell and gene therapies field in clinical development, regulatory strategy, and manufacturing from first-in-human through phase IV. With over two decades of leadership in hematology, oncology, and cell and gene therapy, he has held senior roles at Priothera, Advesya, Tigen Pharma, Celgene/BMS, and Novartis, enabling the approvals of Kymriah®, Breyanzi® and Abecma®. Hasskarl earned his medical degree summa cum laude from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, and holds a diploma in health economics. His expertise bridges scientific innovation, strategic planning and operational execution, supporting transformative therapies through pivotal trials and global approvals.
Dr. Brenner is an assistant professor and attending physician at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Medicine and Pharmacology. He earned his MD, PhD, and completed residency at Stanford University. Joining Penn in 2018, he splits his time between 6 weeks annually in the ICU and running a bioengineering lab that develops mRNA and DNA lipid nanoparticles for critical illnesses, including a stroke therapy currently in co-development with a major company.
The strategic additions of Drs. Ivics, Hasskarl, and Brenner strengthen NanoCell’s advisory team as it advances toward clinical development. Dr. Ivics brings pioneering transposon technology expertise and key connections in the European gene therapy community. Dr. Hasskarl’s clinical development and regulatory experience at major pharmaceutical companies will help navigate complex approval pathways. Dr. Brenner’s dual role as attending physician and researcher provides crucial patient-centered insights for treatment development.
NanoCell would also like to acknowledge Perry Hackett, PhD, for his contributions and guidance as an SAB member over the years.
About NanoCell Therapeutics, Inc.
NanoCell Therapeutics is a privately held, transatlantic biotechnology company with locations in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and Utrecht, the Netherlands. The company is dedicated to pioneering transformative in-vivo cell engineering through its non-viral, DNA-based gene therapy platform, primarily targeting oncology and autoimmune diseases.
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