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SAN DIEGO, Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recludix Pharma, a leader in platform approaches to discover inhibitors of challenging cancer and inflammatory disease targets, today announced the appointment of Athena Countouriotis, M.D., as the chairperson of the board of directors.
“Athena is both a distinguished biotech business leader as well as a physician and oncologist, and we are thrilled to have her join our board of directors as its chairperson,” said Nancy Whiting, Pharm.D., chief executive officer of Recludix. “Over her 20-year tenure within the industry, Dr. Countouriotis has been the CEO of a highly successful biotech and an officer of several companies. She has advanced numerous life-changing medicines from development through approval. Her expertise will undoubtedly prove invaluable as we pioneer the development of medicines for oncology and inflammatory diseases using well-validated but previously elusive drug targets.”
Dr. Countouriotis most recently led Turning Point Therapeutics as president and chief executive officer through its IPO to its eventual acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb for $4.1 billion in August 2022. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, she has served as an officer in both public and private companies, led multiple initial public offerings and acquisitions, and guided several development programs to approval in the U.S. and Europe.
She previously served as senior vice president and chief medical officer for Adverum Biotechnologies, and as senior vice president and chief medical officer of Halozyme Therapeutics. Dr. Countouriotis also served as chief medical officer of Ambit Biosciences, where she helped lead the company’s initial public offering and was responsible for the clinical development of quizartinib until the company’s acquisition by Daiichi Sankyo in November 2014. Earlier in her career, Dr. Countouriotis led various clinical development organizations within Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb for oncology therapeutics including Sutent®, Mylotarg™, Bosulif® and Sprycel®.
Dr. Countouriotis also serves on the board of directors of Iovance Biotherapeutics and Passage Bio. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine. She received her initial medical training in pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and additional training at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program.
Dr. Countouriotis added, “I am impressed by both the differentiated technology platform as well as the numerous development programs that Recludix has already launched as a relatively young biotech company. The scientific prowess and rigor of the team is reflected in the incredible work that they have done with sought-after targets such as STAT6 and STAT3, in addition to other undisclosed targets of interest. Recludix has the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, and I am excited to join them in this mission.”
About Recludix
Recludix is a leader in developing platform approaches to discover potent and selective inhibitors of challenging protein targets. The company was founded by members of Blueprint Medicines’ founding scientific team and its management team includes industry veterans with a track record of success in the discovery, development and commercialization of multiple oncology drugs. Recludix has developed a unique drug discovery platform that integrates custom generated DNA-encoded libraries, massively parallel determination of structure activity relationships, and a proprietary screening tool to ensure selectivity. The company is employing this approach first in the development of SH2 domain inhibitors. Recludix’s most advanced programs are focused on Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) proteins -- STAT3 and STAT6 -- where abnormal activation is found in numerous cancer types, such as multiple leukemias and lymphomas, as well as inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and others. The company is advancing three other programs to undisclosed targets that also play a significant role in both cancer and autoimmune diseases. For more information, please visit the company’s website at https://recludixpharma.com.
Recludix Contacts:
Alexandra Santos
asantos@wheelhouselsa.com
Aljanae Reynolds
areynolds@wheelhouselsa.com