Key hires enhance management for next development phase
WINDSOR, England, Jan. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Macrophage Pharma Limited ("MPL"), a biotech company focused on the discovery and development of next-generation immunomodulatory small molecules inducing transcriptional reprogramming of macrophage function to combat cancer and other diseases, announced today that it has appointed Venkat Reddy PhD as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and David Moffat PhD, MPL co-founder and former director of chemistry, as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Commenting on the appointments, Dr Søren Bregenholt, MPL Chief Executive Officer said: "On behalf of the executive team I am pleased to welcome Venkat as CSO and David in his new role as CTO as the Company progresses to its next stage of development. Venkat's deep understanding of pharmaceutical R&D, extensive experience in drug discovery, translational research and early development combined with David's profound knowledge of our foundation Esterase Sensitive MotifTM (ESMTM) technology, which he co-invented, and drug discovery, will continue to be invaluable as we advance towards clinical trials this year, diversify the technology platform and build out the pipeline to address multiple indications."
Dr. Venkat Reddy, CSO of Macrophage Pharma, commented: "I am excited to join Macrophage Pharma as CSO and look forward to advancing and expanding the Company's unique technology platform, exemplified by a drug candidate on track to enter clinical trials. This novel platform allows us to manipulate macrophage and other immune cell functions with the potential to impact areas of unmet need. The differentiation of MPL's foundation technology from contemporary immune-oncology approaches offers an effective route to functional manipulation of macrophages in the tumour microenvironment by inhibiting local immunosuppression and leading to more effective anti-tumour immune responses. I look forward to working with the management and board to unlock the full therapeutic potential of the ESMTM platform to deliver first-in-class therapeutics to patients with significant pathologies."
Dr. David Moffat, CTO, MPL, added: "I am very pleased to be taking the helm as CTO at MPL as we progress our lead asset into clinical trials and diversify and advance our preclinical pipeline to embrace additional drug targets and lead chemistries. The differentiated approach of our technology has the reach to address multiple indications where the immune system is dysregulated by aberrant macrophage activity, for potentially wide-ranging clinical benefit. As co-originator of the ESMTM technology I am proud of MPL's achievements to date and look forward to working with our enhanced team in support of the further growth and development of Macrophage Pharma."
Venkat brings over 15 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry most recently with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals where he was a senior vice president and global head of translational sciences leading the translational programmes of the Company's innovative preclinical and clinical portfolio. He co-founded APC Therapeutics Inc., a small molecule immuno-oncology startup, the lead programme of which was licensed to Glenmark. Previously, Dr Reddy acted as a senior director of strategic partnerships at Pfizer's Center for Therapeutic Innovation. Prior to that he held roles with Sanofi, as head of bio-innovation and as global head of oncology target discovery where he was involved in target identification and validation (TIDVAL) function and progression of multiple programmes from preclinical to clinical trials. Before joining Sanofi, Dr Reddy was a group leader in oncology drug discovery at the Novartis Institute for Functional Genomics, San Diego. He received his PhD in human biology at Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in oncology and immunology at Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla.
Dr Moffat co-founded MPL in November 2014 and is co-inventor in the discovery and development of the ESMTM technology platform. Previously he has been director of chemistry at Chroma Therapeutics from 2004 to 2012, during which three molecules from his chemistry team were progressed to the clinic including the macrophage-targeted histone deacetylase inhibitors CHR-2845 and CHR-5154. He was also head of chemistry at Celltech from 2001 to 2004, prior to its acquisition by UCB, having begun his industrial career there in 1989. Dr Moffat has extensive experience in oncology and inflammation preclinical research and has led groups which have identified numerous clinical development candidates in these therapeutic areas. He holds BSc and PhD degrees from the University of Glasgow and is author and inventor on more than 70 patents and publications.
Macrophage Pharma at JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, San Francisco
Søren Bregenholt and Venkat Reddy will be at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on 13-16 January 2020 in San Francisco, California.
Søren Bregenholt will also be presenting at Biotech Showcase 2020 (13-15 January 2020) on Monday 13thJanuary 2020 at 3pm in Franciscan B (Ballroom Level).
Please get in touch, details below, if you would like to set up a meeting.
About Macrophage Pharma
Based on its proprietary Esterase Motif Technology (ESM) platform, Macrophage Pharma is developing a novel and unique class of small molecule therapeutics which modulate immune responses though transcriptional reprogramming of monocytes and macrophages to combat disease. The Company's novel ESM technology platform is designed to deliver small molecule drugs to macrophages in a highly selective manner. The Company is developing multiple programs inhibiting key pathways in macrophages in disease including the lead, a macrophage targeted p38 MAPK inhibitor programme.
The Company was founded by the CRT Pioneer Fund (CPF) and concluded a Series A financing in 2017 with CPF, Aglaia Oncology Funds, Novo Holdings A/S and M Ventures. Please visit the company website for further information: www.macrophagepharma.com
