CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Surface Oncology (NASDAQ:SURF), today announced Ramy Ibrahim, M.D., will join the company’s board of directors. Dr. Ibrahim is a medical oncologist currently serving as chief medical officer and vice president of clinical development at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Dr. Ibrahim is an acknowledged immunotherapy expert and played an important role in the development of several of the first-generation immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ramy to our Board. He shares Surface’s passion to bring forward transformational therapies at the frontiers of immunobiology,” said Jeff Goater, chief executive officer of Surface. “As a highly respected oncologist, Ramy’s counsel and extensive immuno-oncology therapeutic development experience will be welcomed at Surface, as we continue to progress multiple therapies into and through the clinic.”
Prior to the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Dr. Ibrahim was at AstraZeneca, where he served as the vice president of clinical development for immuno-oncology and led the development of the early checkpoint inhibitor antibodies durvalumab (Imfinzi®) and tremelimumab. Previously, at Bristol-Myers Squibb, he played a key role in the clinical development of ipilimumab (Yervoy®), the first FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitor, from early phase II through multiple global launches. He also played a key role in the early development of nivolumab (Opdivo®), as well as the development of anti-PD-L1 and anti-CD137 antibody programs. Dr. Ibrahim is actively involved in global cancer immunotherapy networks such as the Society of Immunotherapy for Cancer (SITC), Ludwig Institute, the Cancer Research Institute and the Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network. Dr. Ibrahim trained in medicine and medical oncology at Cairo University then conducted bench and clinical immunotherapy research at the cancer vaccine branch of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, prior to moving into industry.
“As a physician and clinical researcher, I feel Surface has assembled a compelling combination of pioneering science, promising pipeline programs and a world-class team as foundational elements to pursue the development of new therapies that could dramatically raise the standard of care for patients suffering with cancer,” said Dr. Ibrahim. “I look forward to working with the Surface team as they build out their diverse clinical portfolio and prepare for their next phase of development as a company.”
About Surface Oncology:
Surface Oncology is an immuno-oncology company developing next-generation antibody therapies focused on the tumor microenvironment with lead programs targeting CD73, CD39, IL-27 and CD47. Surface’s novel cancer immunotherapies are designed to achieve a clinically meaningful and sustained anti-tumor response and may be used alone or in combination with other therapies. The Company has a pipeline of seven novel immunotherapies and a strategic collaboration with Novartis focused on NZV930 (CD73) and potentially one additional undisclosed program. For more information, please visit www.surfaceoncology.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” or similar expressions and the negative of those terms. These forward-looking statements are based on Surface Oncology’s management’s current beliefs and assumptions about future events and on information currently available to management.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Surface Oncology’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to Surface Oncology’s ability to successfully develop SRF388, SRF617 and its other product candidates through current and future milestones or regulatory filings on the anticipated timeline, if at all, the therapeutic potential of Surface Oncology’s product candidates, the risk that results from preclinical studies or early clinical trials may not be representative of larger clinical trials, the risk that Surface Oncology’s product candidates, including SRF388 and SRF617, will not be successfully developed or commercialized and the risks related to Surface Oncology’s dependence on third parties in connection with its manufacturing, clinical trials and preclinical studies. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Surface Oncology’s future results are included in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2018, which is available on the Security and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov and Surface Oncology’s website at www.surfaceoncology.com.
Additional information on potential risks will be made available in other filings that Surface Oncology makes from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions that Surface Oncology believes to be reasonable as of this date. Except as required by law, Surface Oncology assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons if actual results differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
Seth Lewis
slewis@surfaceoncology.com
617-665-5031
Ten Bridge Communications
Krystle Gibbs
krystle@tenbridgecommunications.com
508-479-6358