“To find satisfaction in striving towards a collective purpose, to face the challenges of scientific innovation for improving (and saving) lives of fellow human beings.“
— Alice C.
OUR CULTURE
Environmental, Social AND Governance (ESG) REPORT
At Allogene, our culture embraces being good to one another, taking ownership, and aiming for excellence in everything we do. These principles are fundamental to our ESG practices. While we are a young company, having been launched on May 1, 2018, we pride ourselves on our sustainability accomplishments and know our successes are due in part to the fact that these principles are embedded within Allogene.
We are One Allogene
We only succeed as a team.
We accomplish more together than as individuals when we unite as one Allogene community.
We are resilient, because we strive to save the lives of people with cancer.
We come together with purpose, courage and flexibility despite challenges or uncertainty because every potential patient is someone’s partner, parent, child, sibling or friend.
We aim for excellence and give it our all.
We pursue scientific innovation with a focus on quality and integrity in everything we do to forever change how cancer is treated.
We take ownership and get things done.
We are leaders who embrace urgency, initiative and follow through, with the humility to know each one of us is vital to making AlloCAR T products a reality.
We are good to one another.
We value diversity of thought, background and expertise, we earn each other’s trust, and assume good intention as we collaborate to help patients.
We are One Allogene
MEET THE ALLOGENE COMMUNITY
At Allogene, you'll find an experienced, high performing and growing team of employees singularly focused on transforming the treatment of cancer. As one Allogene community, we come together with the shared goal of making a life-changing difference for patients, and we embrace diversity of experience, backgrounds and thought because we are confident that these differences will support our mission to create and lead the next revolution in cancer therapy. We are proud that among our growing team, approximately 50% of employees identify as female and approximately 65% identify as members of a minority ethnic group.
Blood Cancer Awareness Month 2022
GET TO KNOW US
Barbra Sasu, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Christine Cassiano
Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Affairs and Brand Strategy Officer
David Chang, MD, PhD
President, CEO, and Co-Founder
Susie Lundeen
Chief People Officer
Tim Moore
Executive Vice President, Chief Technical Officer
Zachary J. Roberts, MD, PhD
Executive Vice President, Research & Development, Chief Medical Officer
REVOLUTIONIZING CELL THERAPY
Our mission is to create and lead the next revolution in cancer treatment by delivering to patients the first allogeneic CAR T cell (AlloCAR T™) products for blood cancers and solid tumors
OUR REASONS FOR THE REVOLUTION
“So no one has to wait for a cure.”
— Ben B.
“I was eager to join Allogene for the people and the science. I get to work with intelligent, driven colleagues while studying the “crazy” science of treating recipient patients with donor cells. How cool is that?“
— Bob T.
“Getting the opportunity to put my own stamp on shaping the future supply chain that will bring life saving medicine to patients.“
— Chris C.
“To leave a fingerprint, however faint, on the science, and maybe, one day, the immune system itself. To fight alongside those whose motives are true. For my loved ones who have survived. And, more so, for those who have not.“
— Dan H.
“I joined the Revolution because I wanted to join a company that gives people not just the hope of some extra time, but that can give people back the rest of their lives.“
— George C.
“To do good science with great scientists“
— Janette S.
“To be a part of an amazing team that has the ability to develop a product that will forever change our approach to cancer treatment.“
— Juliette W.
“My mother succumbed to cancer at age 49. I do this work for her.“
— Ron W.
“The opportunity to work in an environment that puts the needs of patients above everything else.“
— Surabhi S.
“I am dedicating this to my son. When I was his age, the thought of administering genetically engineered allogeneic T cells to cancer patients was science fiction. Today, that pipedream is Allogene’s pipeline.“
— Thomas P.
“Giving people the most precious thing we have together - time.“
— Zea M.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)
Allogene’s mission is to create and lead the next revolution in cancer treatment by delivering to patients the first allogeneic CAR T cell (AlloCAR T™) products for blood cancers and solid tumors.
Cancer doesn’t care about your culture, race, ethnicity, gender or identity. Neither does its treatment.
We are committed to defeating cancer by leveraging the power of diversity to unlock the best in each of us. We will foster an inclusive environment through respect, collaboration, and open communication, and effecting change with active recruitment, internships and mentorships designed to create a stronger and better Allogene that delivers life-changing products for patients.
We are here to lead the next revolution in cancer treatment, together.
THE “LET’S TALK” SERIES
The “Let’s Talk” series was launched by our DEIB Committee in an effort to continue to raise cultural awareness at Allogene through small group discussion. We believe in the value of real talk, and that by having difficult conversations, we can effectuate change at the individual, team, and company level by learning about and supporting one another. Discussion topics have included health equity for the African American community and violence against Asian Americans.
OUR FOCUS ON DEIB RECRUITMENT
As an equal opportunity employer, Allogene is committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions, recruitment, and selection are made without unlawful discrimination. We embrace and encourage differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, culture or customs, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique. We also embrace differences in experience and background, and welcome diversity of opinions and thought with active recruitment and internships designed to create a stronger and better Allogene that is focused on developing life-changing products for patients.
JOIN THE ALLOGENE COMMUNITY
People are our most valuable asset. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent represent a significant part of not just our culture, but our success. If you are interested in joining the Allogene community in creating and leading the next revolution in cell therapy, please join the Allogene Therapeutics Talent Network. By joining our Talent Network, your resume will be available to our recruitment team and you may be contacted about future openings that may be a fit for you.
GET TO KNOW BARBRA
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
My first job was when I was 14 and I worked in a pharmacy at the photography counter. That was the closest thing to a science job in my hometown, which was in the middle of the countryside in Alfreton, England.
I had many jobs before I completed university. I worked at a cheese counter at the local super market (that was my favorite job), and I spent summers working in the factories. That was boring work that reinforced the need for me to do well in school and work hard to have a different future.
My first science job was a summer internship at my university biotech lab. I usually found something science-related to do when at university. My job was to recombine two plasmids to make a luciferase gene for bioluminescent luciferase assays. To do the assays I literally took freeze dried fireflies, pulled their butts off and crushed them up to make the reagent. It was a fascinating summer.
My first full-time job was at Amgen, after I did my postdoc. The day I walked in the door, I was asked to determine why some patients don’t respond to erythropoietin (EPO) when they have anemia. I sat in my office for a couple of months reading everything I could, created a theory about it, and spent the next eight years coming up with a product for it. It was nice being able to take something all the way from a textbook discovery to a potential therapeutic.
WHY DID YOU JOIN ALLOGENE?
I joined Allogene because I believe CAR Ts are going to transform the practice of medicine, and I want to be a part of that.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALLOGENE MOMENT SO FAR?
Working together to get that first IND filed. The teamwork was excellent—everyone pulled together. We set a very tough goal for ourselves and I am proud we were able to accomplish it. I think the team atmosphere here is phenomenal.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER?
I am most proud of what we’ve accomplished here in research to develop our CAR T pipeline. We have pulled together an exceptional group of scientists who work collaboratively and believe strongly in Allogene’s vision. I’m very proud to work with everyone on this team.
WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION (PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY)?
Every mentor I’ve ever had is an inspiration. These people go above and beyond to not just do their own job, but to intentionally bring others up. I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for my mentors, and I strive to give the same to those around me.
A few of my mentors include my lab supervisor in my PhD program, who taught me a lot about rigor and precision; my department head at Amgen, who taught me that accurateness is paramount (and that even typos on slides matter); and my direct supervisor at Amgen, who was not only a scientific inspiration, but whose death from glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, makes me see on a personal level how important it is to target these rare indications, but grievous medical conditions.
WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF CANCER TREATMENT?
I’m focused on durability of response, so my hope is that cancer becomes a disease that you live with or eliminate, not a disease that kills you.
GET TO KNOW CHRISTINE
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I started working at 13 at a bookstore, the precursor to Barnes and Noble, before they had the internet to check your actual age. First at the information desk using microfiche, then at the register. I’d work there after school, on weekends, and full-time during summers. I learned to love books from my mom. We were book worms.
From the time I was in second grade, I knew I wanted to do something that would be broadcast from that massive piece of television furniture we had in the living room. I loved watching the evening news with my dad so I thought my destiny was to be a newscaster. Age cured that but not the general desire. My first corporate job at Sony Pictures learning about public relations made me realize I had chosen the right career track but the wrong industry. I didn’t have the right temperament for the entertainment business. When I found biotech, I found home.
WHY DID YOU JOIN ALLOGENE?
I was only at Kite for a short period of time, but I fell in love with what we were doing. I joined Allogene to continue working in cell therapy.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALLOGENE MOMENT SO FAR?
Day 1. It was this new beginning, filled with the excitement of creating something new. It was filled with all the hope of what’s possible and people who believed in the future.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER?
I’m most proud that I’ve found opportunities to push through the norm or the accepted to create something original and completely different. The highlights of my career are the moments when I’ve been able to breakthrough barriers or the questions from people who asked “why?” and instead make opportunities with like-minded people who embrace the “why not?”
WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION (PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY)?
My parents. My dad was brilliant at finding loopholes, and he taught me from the time I was little how to do the same. He was always positive, didn’t take “no” for an answer, and found creative solutions. His voice in my ear has been instrumental throughout my career. My mom was so strong and wise beyond her years. She came down with cancer at a young age and battled it for a long time before passing away. Her strength and her journey motivate me in my work every day.
WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF CANCER TREATMENT?
My hope is that one day, what happened to my mom and her early death from cancer is only a story to be told or read about, not re-lived. That we as a society must remind ourselves through storytelling of a time in history when diseases like cancer “used” to happen.
GET TO KNOW DAVID
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I had a few jobs in high school, but my favorite—although short-lived—was working at Baskin Robbins, scooping ice cream. It took me about three working days to taste-test all the flavors, and I left after I had nothing left to sample.
My first full-time job was a university faculty job—I was an assistant professor at UCLA.
WHY DID YOU JOIN ALLOGENE?
I saw a tremendous opportunity for both patients and the field of cancer therapy.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALLOGENE MOMENT SO FAR?
I’ve enjoyed watching the Allogene team grow, especially now that we’re in our new headquarters and have many teams in one collaborative space. My favorite moment happens every day—it’s when I come into the office and see more and more new colleagues who are clearly excited about the work they are doing here.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER?
Personally, I am most proud that my wife and I celebrated our 30-year wedding anniversary this year. That is my greatest accomplishment. Professionally, there are two—the first was unequivocally demonstrating that the wild-type KRAS is required for response to the EGFR mAb therapy in colorectal cancer, and the second was seeing that 40% of patients with relapsed and refractory large B cell lymphoma have remained free of disease after a single infusion of KTE-C19, the autologous anti-CD19 CART therapy that became Yescarta.
WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION (PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY)?
To me, this is a question that is more about who shapes my thinking and behavior. I have been fortunate to be around many amazing people. The list is long, but I would be remiss if I didn’t call out my parents, Phil Sharp, Dennis Slamon, Arie Belldegrun, and my wife, Jane.
WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF CANCER TREATMENT?
My hope is that cancer is no longer a life-threatening disease.
Get to Know Susie
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
My first job ever was neighborhood babysitter. I was young and so appreciative to make the $.75 per hour–no minimum wage laws back then! My first pay-rolled job was in a department store, similar to Macy’s. I "accelerated" my birthdate by three months for the summer job. (Funny to think that I ended up in Human Resources.) I was hired to work on the floor, folding clothes and dusting shelves. I was happy to be quickly promoted to an office role, which included making all the announcements over the PA system. I still remember saying, “Good evening, shoppers! The time is now 8:55PM and the store will be closing in 5 minutes!” I loved it – and the discount, too!
WHY DID YOU JOIN ALLOGENE?
The patient-centric mission, the challenging science and the committed people. I’m not one to be attracted to anything easy; I am attracted to innovation, purpose and good people who are working hard at the forefront of science, with the potential to have meaningful impact on patient lives.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALLOGENE MOMENT SO FAR?
Before I even had the formal offer, one of my interviewers–who I’d soon be working closely with–reminded me that we had met in the past, told me she’d wished we’d had the opportunity to work together then, and assured me that she was looking forward to partnering with me. Her openness, graciousness and warm welcome will be something I’ll always remember. It really clinched the deal.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER?
Through some of the more challenging environments that leaders navigate, such as acquisitions, headcount cuts, and tough performance conversations, I never forget the human element. A few memories come to mind – fighting for compensatory treatment for employees who joined a company as part of an acquisition, influencing stakeholders to approve transition benefits for impacted staff, engaging in candid and caring performance conversations that have often resulted in healthy outcomes and coaching leaders to do the same. People really are a company’s greatest asset.
WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION (PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY)?
Personally: My three kids, who are rockstar human beings and lightyears ahead of where I was at their ages. My youngest is disciplined and passionate, making great sacrifices now to achieve his long-term goals. My middle is smart and curious, and her genuine interest allows her to capture audiences with her insightful questions. My oldest leads with her heart and views life through a truly empathetic lens. I try to emulate a bit of each of them every day.
Get to Know Tim
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
My first job as a Chemical Engineering graduate was for an oil and gas company as an engineer in a manufacturing facility. Unfortunately, the industry was struggling at that time, and I was laid off just 3 months after graduating and beginning my career. My father is responsible for inspiring me to break into the pharmaceutical industry and although my first job was short lived, I am grateful to my father for encouraging me to keep pursuing a career that eventually became my dream job. I am still passionate about it to this day.
WHY DID YOU JOIN ALLOGENE?
I joined Allogene because I am committed to helping find cures for blood cancers and solid tumors, and to make a difference for patients. I truly believe that cell therapy is the future of cancer treatment. Allogene has a very strong leadership team and a talented workforce. I believe in our technology, the team, and our focus to make a difference for patients with cancer.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALLOGENE MOMENT SO FAR?
I’ve had many favorite moments at Allogene, but the number one moment from my early days is from our 5th anniversary “Patient Day” event where I had the opportunity to meet two patients who had been treated with our AlloCAR T™ investigational products and achieved a complete response. The event was so inspiring. It energized and motivated me to do my part to help advance our technology from the clinic to commercialization.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER?
I am proud that I have spent time across different operational functions, including engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, F&E, and others to learn how to bring these disciplines together in support of getting product to patients. I’m most proud to have worked on global product supply, which requires different regulatory and supply chain strategies. I built my knowledge on global operations over time which had me focus heavily on how we operate together as a cross-functional team – working together effectively as a team is critical to ensuring success!
WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION (PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY)?
There are many inspirational people that I am grateful to have met. On a personal basis, Bruce Springsteen, who I was lucky enough to meet once, has inspired me since 1975 when I began to follow him. The stories he tells with his music and his character have continued to draw me to him, and I am still a huge fan to this day. Another personal inspiration was my father, who is now in heaven still looking out for me. He was a chemical scientist and as a young kid receiving education, my father always helped me with homework, taught me about science, and exposed me to experiences that truly opened my eyes. He convinced me to earn a chemical engineering degree while in high school and helped me get my first pharma job at Merck. I’ve remained in the pharma industry for almost 40 years and don’t plan to leave. Finally, my professional inspiration is Arie Belldegrun who has deep knowledge as a doctor, scientist, businessman and leader. I’m inspired by his teamwork, energy, and ability to engage and care for people. Arie is someone who has greatly educated me on the cell therapy industry and business development. He supports me and encourages a ‘work hard and play hard’ environment that resonates with me – it's how we achieve our goals but also have fun as a team.
WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF CANCER TREATMENT?
My hope for the future of cancer treatment is to significantly advance the cure rate not only in blood cancers but also in solid tumors, the latter being one of the toughest cancers to treat. I want to provide a way for patients to be treated quickly with a safe and effective product that yields efficacious outcomes globally.
Get to Know Zachary
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I had many regular paying gigs starting at the tender age of 12, but my first “official” job, was working at a dry cleaner after school and on weekends when I was 16.
WHY DID YOU JOIN ALLOGENE?
I joined to be part of this team and for the science. I have deep respect for and trust in the people who make up the leadership team. I knew they would pull together an excellent workforce around transformative science. I have not been disappointed. The caliber of every individual I’ve encountered, across all functions, is exceptional. Scientifically, I view autologous CARs as the first milestone on a long road toward broad and unfettered access to this lifesaving modality. We, as a community of oncologists and drug developers, simply can’t stop working toward a better future in which everyone who could possibly benefit from CAR T can receive CAR T. Without a doubt, Allogene is by far the best positioned to deliver on this mandate, so when the opportunity arose to join the team, I jumped at it.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ALLOGENE MOMENT SO FAR?
Our “Patient Day” anniversary event in May 2023. There is nothing more powerful or inspiring than meeting the real people, with hopes and plans for their future, their families, and hearing their relatable stories of fear, survival, and tenacity, to remind us of why we do what we do. Though we are striving to cure thousands of people with our products, sometimes meeting just one or two brings this promise and mission home in a much more palpable way. That was certainly the feeling I got from our two patients, and I wasn’t alone: the buzz in the company lasted for weeks!
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER?
This is an easy one – I’m most proud of having been a key member of the team who delivered the FDA approval of Yescarta. I left what I thought would be a long career in academia to bring new drugs to market and hopefully reach many more patients in need than I could taking care of them one by one. To see this aspiration realized and validated, in a cutting-edge field that brought a new therapeutic modality into practice no less, will always be one of the proudest moments in my career and in my life.
WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION (PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY)?
I have several people who have played outsized roles in my life at various points, any one of whom could be the answer to this question depending on my mood. For this instance, I’ll reach back to my early teen years when I discovered “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking. Following that, and for years, I was obsessed with cosmology, relativity and quantum mechanics and the boundless wonder it offered. Beyond the subject matter itself, I have always been humbled by Stephen Hawking’s ability to communicate unfathomably complex ideas like time travel, string theory, the scale and behavior of both the universe and subatomic particles in ways that I could understand. He became one of history’s most transformative and decorated scientists while suffering from a progressive neurodegenerative disease for over 50 years. The perseverance, optimism and humility embodied by such a brilliant scientist and communicator had a profound and lasting effect on me.
WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF CANCER TREATMENT?
My hope for the future of cancer treatment is that we as a community continue to make breakthroughs that bring us closer to a cure. With each passing year, leaders in this field, such as Allogene, make meaningful strides toward a more complete understanding of the biology of cancer and its treatment. It used to be that chemo was the only option for most people, the first monoclonal antibodies were just coming onto the market and immunotherapy was a discredited crackpot idea from half a century ago. Now we are regularly curing not just treatable, low risk blood cancers but chemo refractory, lethal blood cancers and some metastatic solid tumors using the immune system. The last 10 years will be viewed as the first decade of what I hope will be a long story of how immunotherapy fundamentally changed the way cancer is treated and even perceived as a disease.