Epitopea Taps 'Dark Genome' with Immuno-Oncology Luminary

CAMBRIDGE, UK and MONTREAL, CANADA – April 13, 2026 – Transatlantic biotech company Epitopea has significantly bolstered its scientific leadership with the appointment of Dr. Lisa Butterfield, a world-renowned immuno-oncology expert, to its Scientific Advisory Board. The move is seen as a major endorsement of the company's pioneering approach to developing "off-the-shelf" RNA-based immunotherapies by mining the so-called "dark genome" for new cancer targets.

Dr. Butterfield's appointment comes as Epitopea prepares to advance its lead candidate, CryptiVax™-1001, into clinical trials for high-grade serous ovarian cancer, one of the most challenging solid tumors to treat. Her extensive experience is expected to be pivotal in guiding the company's transition from a discovery-stage entity to a clinical-stage powerhouse.

A Strategic Endorsement for Novel Science

In the highly competitive biotech landscape, the recruitment of top-tier talent is often as significant as a successful funding round. Dr. Lisa Butterfield is no ordinary advisor. Her career weaves through the highest echelons of academia, big pharma, and influential non-profits. Currently a Distinguished Scientist at Merck, she previously served as Vice President of Research and Development at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and held a tenured professorship at the University of Pittsburgh for 15 years.

Her leadership credentials are just as impressive. Dr. Butterfield was the first female President of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) and formerly chaired the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Cell, Tissue and Gene Therapy Advisory Committee, a critical body overseeing the approval of novel treatments. With more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and a track record of leading multiple cancer vaccine trials, her decision to join Epitopea's advisory board sends a powerful signal to the scientific and investment communities.

“Epitopea’s approach to uncovering Cryptigen™ tumor-specific antigens from the dark genome represents truly innovative thinking in cancer immunotherapy,” said Dr. Butterfield in a statement. “I am particularly excited by the opportunity to translate these discoveries into off-the-shelf RNA-based immunotherapies that have durable patient benefits. I look forward to helping the team shape its scientific strategy as the company advances towards the clinic.”

Her enthusiasm underscores the potential of Epitopea's core technology, lending credibility that extends far beyond a simple press release.

Unlocking the 'Dark Genome' for Cancer Treatment

At the heart of Epitopea’s strategy is a proprietary platform that challenges conventional wisdom in cancer immunology. For years, the vast, non-coding regions of the human genome were dismissed as "junk DNA." Epitopea’s CryptoMap™ platform, however, treats this "dark genome" as a treasure trove of hidden cancer targets.

The platform identifies a new class of tumor-specific antigens called Cryptigens™. These are aberrantly expressed proteins that arise from these previously uncharacterized genomic regions. Unlike personalized neoantigens, which are unique to an individual's tumor mutations, Cryptigens™ are shared, non-mutated, and uniquely expressed across many patients with the same type of cancer.

This crucial difference is the foundation for Epitopea's "off-the-shelf" approach. Instead of creating a costly and time-consuming personalized vaccine for each patient, the company can develop a single mRNA therapeutic designed to train the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells bearing these shared Cryptigen™ targets. This could make powerful immunotherapies more accessible, affordable, and scalable.

The science, which originated from the labs of Drs. Claude Perreault and Pierre Thibault at the Université de Montréal, has already received significant validation, including a recent publication in the journal Nature Cancer.

Dr. Alan C. Rigby, Chief Executive Officer of Epitopea, commented on the strategic importance of Dr. Butterfield's expertise in this context. “Lisa brings exceptional expertise in cancer vaccines, tumor immunology and translational immunotherapy,” he stated. “Her experience spanning academia, biotechnology and pharmaceutical research will be extremely valuable as we continue to advance our pipeline and progress our lead programme, CryptiVax™-1001, into the clinic.”

A New Front in the War on Ovarian Cancer

The clinical application of this technology is sharply focused on areas of immense unmet need. The company's lead candidate, CryptiVax™-1001, is being developed for high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the most common and lethal form of the disease.

The statistics for HGSOC are stark. Roughly 80% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and despite aggressive initial treatment with surgery and chemotherapy, the vast majority will experience a recurrence. The five-year survival rate for advanced disease hovers between 30% and 50%. While targeted therapies like PARP inhibitors have been a breakthrough for patients with specific genetic markers (like BRCA mutations), they are ineffective for nearly half of the HGSOC patient population. This leaves a large group of patients with few durable treatment options after their cancer returns.

Furthermore, single-agent immunotherapies, which have revolutionized treatment for cancers like melanoma and lung cancer, have shown disappointing results in ovarian cancer. Epitopea's approach with CryptiVax™-1001 aims to overcome this hurdle by directing a powerful, multi-pronged immune attack against a set of carefully selected Cryptigen™ antigens specific to the tumor, potentially creating a potent and lasting anti-cancer response in a broad patient population.

Building a Transatlantic Powerhouse

Epitopea’s scientific promise is matched by a robust business strategy and strong financial backing. Since its founding in 2021, the company has raised over $45 million from a transatlantic syndicate of leading life science investors, including Advent Life Sciences, CTI Life Sciences, and Cambridge Innovation Capital.

This financial stability is bolstered by key strategic partnerships. Most notably, Epitopea has a license and research collaboration with pharmaceutical giant MSD (Merck & Co., Inc.), a deal that could yield up to $300 million per product in milestone payments. This collaboration to identify Cryptigen™ targets in another tumor type not only provides a non-dilutive source of funding but also represents a major vote of confidence from one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies—and Dr. Butterfield's current employer.

Operating from dual hubs in Cambridge, UK, and Montreal, Canada, Epitopea is strategically positioned to leverage talent and resources from two of the world's premier biotech ecosystems. The appointment of Dr. Butterfield further cements its standing as a company to watch, combining groundbreaking science with the seasoned expertise needed to navigate the complex path from laboratory discovery to life-saving medicine. As it moves toward the clinic, Epitopea is not just developing a new drug; it is pioneering a new paradigm for how cancer can be targeted.