Annick Desjardins

Istari Oncology is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel immunotherapies for the treatment of solid tumors. The company was founded to commercialize the PVSRIPO (Lerapolturev) platform, a recombinant poliovirus technology originally developed at Duke University by Dr. Annick Desjardins and Dr. Matthias Gromeier. PVSRIPO targets CD155, a receptor widely expressed on cancer cells and antigen-presenting cells, to trigger a localized tumor cell kill and a systemic, durable anti-tumor immune response. Istari is currently advancing clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma and advanced melanoma, with additional programs exploring the platform's efficacy in other solid tumor types.