AIRPORT CITY, Israel, May 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biosight Ltd., a pharmaceutical development company developing innovative therapeutics for hematological malignancies and disorders, today announced the appointment of Gary Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., the former Vice President of Oncology Development at AbbVie, to its Board of Directors.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Gordon join the Board at such an exciting time in the advancement of our lead product BST-236,” said Dr. Ruth Ben Yakar, Chief Executive Officer of Biosight. “Dr. Gordon brings over 25 years of experience in oncology development, including his many years as VP Oncology Development at AbbVie, leaving him uniquely suited to guide the advancement of BST-236. His proven track record in drug development from first-in-human studies through to approvals and commercialization will be invaluable to Biosight as we continue our ongoing Phase 2b trial first-line acute myeloid leukemia program and look to expand into additional hematological indications. We look forward to his engagement and collaboration.”
Dr. Gordon said, “I am excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Board and management team at Biosight as they continue the clinical development of BST-236. There is a huge need to provide effective and tolerable therapies for patients who are medically unfit to receive intensive chemotherapy, and I believe BST-236 has the potential to shift the standard of care for these patients, and ultimately, more broadly for hematologic indications. I look forward to providing guidance and input as we strategically advance a broader BST-236 clinical plan.”
Gary B. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D. is an accomplished pharmaceutical executive with an extensive experience in Oncology across all phases of clinical development. Dr. Gordon spent nearly 6 years at AbbVie as Vice President, Oncology Development, where he oversaw the development of AbbVie’s oncology projects and helped expand the oncology pipeline. He played a critical role in the oncology business expansion which included the approval of venetoclax, several major acquisitions, multiple Break Through and Orphan Drug Designations, and a development portfolio of nearly 200 studies in approximately 50 countries. In 2017 he was on the team that received the Prix Galien Award for the “Best Pharmaceutical Product” for Venclexta. Prior to AbbVie, Dr. Gordon spent 10 years at Abbott in senior oncology roles including Divisional Vice President, Global Oncology Development. Earlier in his career, he was Chief Scientific Officer at Ovation Pharmaceuticals, and held other roles at Pharmacia and G.D. Searle Company. Prior to his career in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Gordon was an Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He holds an M.D. and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he also completed his residency, fellowship and postdoctoral training.
About BST-236 (Aspacytarabine)
BST-236 (aspacytarabine) is a novel cytarabine derivative, designed to reduce the toxicity of intensive chemotherapy and serve as a novel backbone of cancer therapy. With promising single-agent activity and additional potential in combination with targeted therapy and immunotherapy, BST-236 may serve as a superior therapy for AML and other hematological malignancies and disorders, including for older adults who are unfit for intensive therapy.
Addressing unmet needs, BST-236 was granted Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA, which entitles Biosight to seven years of market exclusivity upon BST-236 marketing approval for the treatment of AML.
A Phase 2b study is ongoing to confirm the promising results obtained in a Phase 1/2a study of BST-236 as a single-agent first-line AML therapy. For more information regarding the Phase 2b clinical study of BST-236, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Biosight Ltd.
Biosight is a private clinical-stage biotech company, developing innovative therapeutics for hematological malignancies and disorders, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). For additional information, please visit www.biosight-pharma.com.
Contact:
Chuck Padala
646-627-839
LifeSci Advisors, LLC