-Industry Veteran Joins to Advance Maturing Platform and Pipeline to Next Phase of Development-
-Product Development Team Further Strengthened with Appointment of Glenn Michelson, M.D., as Vice President, Clinical Development and Jason Braun, MBA, as Vice President, Commercial Strategy-
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Oct. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a clinical-stage oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of investigational antibody therapeutics based on its Probody™ therapeutic technology platform, today announced the appointment of Amy C. Peterson, M.D., as executive vice president and chief development officer. In this new role, Dr. Peterson will have oversight of a multi-disciplinary team focused on advancing all aspects of CytomX’s clinical development activities and driving value creation and differentiated patient outcomes across the CytomX portfolio.
“Amy brings to CytomX extensive clinical development and leadership skills along with a track record of implementing successful oncology clinical strategies through product registration which will benefit us enormously as we continue to advance our novel and differentiated portfolio of Probody therapeutics,” said Sean McCarthy, D. Phil., president, chief executive officer and chairman of CytomX. “We are thrilled to welcome Amy and look forward to her contributions as we take CytomX to the next level.”
Dr. Peterson brings 15 years of industry experience in oncology drug development and has held multiple senior roles in leading organizations. Most recently, Dr. Peterson was chief medical officer of immuno-oncology at BeiGene, Ltd. where she created and led a global oncology development organization with direct medical oversight and accountability of 7 clinical assets in over thirty global trials in all phases of development in solid tumor indications. Prior to this, Dr. Peterson was vice president of clinical development at Medivation where she was primarily responsible for the development of enzalutamide (XTANDI®) and talazoparib (TALZENNA®) in breast cancer. Previously, Dr. Peterson served as associate group medical director at Genentech, where she was responsible for the development of early stage molecules targeting multiple major pathways in oncology. Prior to joining Genentech, Dr. Peterson was an Instructor of Medicine in Oncology at the University of Chicago, where she conducted translational research in tumor immunology in conjunction with Dr. Thomas F. Gajewski. Dr. Peterson received her M.D. from Thomas Jefferson University and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Chicago. Dr. Peterson received her B.A. degree from Wesleyan University.
“I am excited to be joining CytomX at this important time in the company’s evolution as we seek to build further on the strong technical and clinical foundation the company has laid for the Probody therapeutic platform. My vision is to help drive the organization to fully realize its potential as we strive to bring transformative medicines to patients and their families,” said Dr. Peterson.
CytomX also announced today two new additional management appointments: Glenn Michelson, M.D., as vice president, clinical development and Jason Braun, MBA, as vice president, commercial strategy.
“I am delighted to welcome Glenn and Jason, two accomplished oncology industry professionals, to the CytomX team at this exciting time as we make progress in advancing our portfolio of wholly-owned and partnered programs into later stages of clinical development. Their extensive experience at other leading oncology companies will be of great benefit to us,” said Amy Peterson, Chief Development Officer.
Dr. Michelson brings over 20 years of hematology and oncology drug development experience including extensive knowledge of translational medicine and medical affairs having overseen and managed numerous clinical programs from IND through Phase 3. Most recently, Dr. Michelson was vice president of clinical development at Portola Pharmaceuticals where he led the clinical development of cerdulatinib. Prior to Portola, Dr. Michelson held the role of chief medical officer and vice president of clinical development at Plexxikon. Dr. Michelson received his M.D. from the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Mr. Braun brings 15 years of industry experience that includes pipeline analysis, sales and marketing. Most recently, Mr. Braun was vice president and head of commercial for Optera Therapeutics, a privately held cell therapy company, where he oversaw commercial strategy and product portfolio analysis. Prior to Optera, Mr. Braun held leadership roles in hematology and oncology marketing at Kite Pharma (now a subsidiary of Gilead Sciences) where he led the U.S. marketing team during preparation and launch of YESCARTA™, the first autologous CAR-T therapy for adults with DLBCL, and at Pharmacyclics, where he led the U.S. marketing team for IMBRUVICA®. Mr. Braun received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Master of Engineering Management degree from Northwestern University.
About CytomX Therapeutics
CytomX Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of investigational antibody therapeutics based on its Probody™ therapeutic technology platform. Probody therapeutics are designed to exploit unique conditions of the tumor microenvironment to more effectively localize antibody binding and activity while minimizing binding, and therefore activity in healthy tissues. CytomX and its partners have four programs in the clinic. The Company’s clinical stage pipeline includes cancer immunotherapies against clinically validated targets, including a PD-L1-targeting Probody therapeutic wholly owned by CytomX (CX-072) and a CTLA-4-targeting Probody therapeutic partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS-986249). The CytomX clinical stage pipeline also includes first-in-class Probody drug conjugates against highly attractive targets, including a CD166-targeting Probody drug conjugate wholly owned by CytomX (CX-2009), and a CD71-targeting Probody drug conjugate partnered with AbbVie (CX-2029). CD166 and CD71 are among cancer targets that are considered to be inaccessible to conventional antibody drug conjugates due to their presence on many healthy tissues. In addition to its wholly owned programs, CytomX has strategic collaborations with AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and ImmunoGen, Inc. For more information, visit www.cytomx.com.
CytomX Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control, and may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in such statements. Accordingly, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements, including those relating to the potential benefits, safety and efficacy of CytomX’s or any of its collaborative partners’ product candidates, administered separately or in combination, the potential benefits or applications of CytomX’s Probody platform technology and CytomX’s ability to develop and advance product candidates into and successfully complete clinical trials, including the ongoing clinical trials of CX-072 and CX-2009. Risks and uncertainties that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: the unproven nature of CytomX’s novel Probody Platform technology; four of CytomX’s product candidates under its Probody platform are in the initial stages of clinical development and its other product candidates are currently in preclinical development, and the process by which preclinical and clinical development could potentially lead to an approved product is long and subject to significant risks and uncertainties; the possibility that the results of early clinical trials may not be predictive of future results; the possibility that CytomX’s clinical trials will not be successful; CytomX’s dependence on the success of CX-072, CX-2009, CX-2029 and BMS 986249; CytomX’s reliance on third parties for the manufacture of the company’s product candidates; and possible regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries. Additional applicable risks and uncertainties include those relating to our preclinical research and development, clinical development, and other risks identified under the heading "Risk Factors" included in CytomX’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 7, 2019. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on information currently available to CytomX and speak only as of the date on which they are made. CytomX does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
PROBODY is a registered trademark of CytomX Therapeutics.
YESCARTA is a registered trademark of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.
IMBRUVICA is a registered trademark of Pharmacyclics LLC.
XTANDI and TALZENNA are registered trademarks of Pfizer, Inc.
Contact:
Investors and Media:
Christopher Keenan
VP, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
ckeenan@cytomx.com
650-383-0823
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