At SEITO Biologics, we develop targeted cytokine therapies that reinforce our body’s regulatory T cells to restore immune balance.
Our Mission
Tackling autoimmunity with selective Treg cell engagers (TREX)
Balancing act
A well-functioning immune system must respond effectively to dangerous microbes, but it must avoid harming healthy host tissues.
Autoimmunity
Patients suffering from autoimmune diseases harbour self-reactive immune cells that attack healthy tissues, thereby inflicting serious damage to vital organs.
Innovative treatment
SEITO Biologics’ selective Treg cell engagers (TREX) restore Treg cell function and numbers, thereby rebalancing the immune system.
Team
We at SEITO Biologics bring together extensive expertise in research and development, clinical care, and business and start-up foundation in the field of cytokines and immunotherapy. Our passion is the development of innovative treatments, meeting the current needs of patients with immune-mediated illnesses.
SEITO Biologics builds on discoveries made at the Department of Immunology at University of Zurich and is a spin-off company of the University of Zurich.
MBA, CFA
CFO & Co-founder
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Valerie Scholtes has been CFO and a member of several boards since 2008, with extensive experience in management and finance since 1997. After obtaining her MBA degree from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, including an exchange program at the McGill University in Canada, she has worked for international companies in the U.K., in Luxembourg and in Switzerland.
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PhD
CSO & Co-founder
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Ufuk Karakus has over 8 years of research experience in immunology, particularly Treg cells and immunotherapy targeting Treg cells.
He developed a clinical candidate of a novel Treg cell engager (TREX) to boost Treg cells. He obtained his PhD from the University of Zurich (UZH) and was awarded a UZH Entrepreneur Fellowship and an SNF BRIDGE Fellowship. His research resulted in several patent applications that form the basis of SEITO Biologics.​
MD, PhD
CMO & Co-founder
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Miro E. Raeber is a clinician-scientist with over 8 years of clinical and research experience in IL-2 immunotherapy. He conducted the first low-dose IL-2 clinical trial in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in Switzerland, which provided novel insights into tissue-homing Treg cells. His research contributed to patent applications licensed by SEITO Biologics.
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MD
CEO & Co-founder
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Onur Boyman is CEO and Chairman of SEITO Biologics. He is also a Full Professor of Immunology at UZH. His research led to the discovery and development of biased IL-2 immunotherapies and to IL-2-based clinical trials in autoimmunity and cancer. He has authored more than 100 publications and is the inventor of several patent applications on IL-2 immunotherapy. He previously founded a clinical-stage biotech company.
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News & Media
April 22, 2024
SEITO Biologics' team attended and presented their company program at the Swiss Biotech Day in Basel, Switzerland.
March 25, 2024
The "UZH Magazin", published by the University of Zurich (UZH), features SEITO Biologics in the section "Erfunden an der UZH" (translates to "invented at the UZH"). Click here to read the article.