Cancer fighter Imugene hopes to turbocharge its immunotherapy product pipeline after appointing a renowned gastrointestinal cancer expert to its scientific advisory board.

Imugene (ASX:IMU) believes cancer patients’ immune systems are the key to fighting the scourge. It is developing a suite of immunotherapies that seek to activate the immune system in cancer sufferers to treat and eradicate tumours.

Newly appointed Professor Tanios Bekaii-Saab is from the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical care, research and education institutions.

He is the co-leader of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Centre and holds a range of other titles, including author or co-author on more than 350 peer-reviewed articles in esteemed journals.

“Professor Bekaii-Saab is a recognised leader in gastrointestinal treatment and research,” Imugene chief Leslie Chong said. “We look forward to the insights he will provide as the team at Imugene progresses its cancer immunotherapy product pipeline.”

Imugene is running a clinical trial investigating its drug IMU-131 in patients with advanced stomach cancer.

Back in February, the company told investors that initial results revealed the treatment to be safe, which sent the company’s shares rocketing.

Stockhead columnist Tim Boreham reported in June that Imugene had a “fighting chance of getting somewhere” thanks to its repository of B-cell patents.

The company’s shares were flat on this morning’s news at 2.2c. Its shares are showing signs of recovery after a meagre August.

Imugene shares (ASX:IMU) over the past year.