CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of novel tumor-targeted and immuno-oncology therapies based on its pioneering research in cancer epigenetics, today announced the appointment of Adrian Senderowicz, M.D., as senior vice president and chief medical officer. In addition, the company is promoting three members of its management team, underscoring Constellation Pharmaceuticals’ strategic focus on charting a clear path to registration for the company’s two lead clinical development programs, CPI-1205 and CPI-0610—targeting EZH2 (a member of the PRC2 complex) and BET, respectively—while also exploring new opportunities at the nexus of cancer epigenetics and immuno-oncology.
A board-certified medical oncologist by training, Dr. Senderowicz has more than two decades of experience in the life sciences. He was the principal investigator for a multitude of clinical trials in solid and hematological tumors, and brings to Constellation Pharmaceuticals significant regulatory expertise as a former clinical team leader at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Division of Drug Oncology Products.
“Constellation Pharmaceuticals is poised to deliver on the promise of its pioneering research in epigenetics by developing therapies that have the potential to address significant medical needs in difficult-to-treat tumors,” said Dr. Senderowicz. “The company has established a clear path to registration for its two lead clinical development programs—CPI-1205 in solid tumors and CPI-0610 in a molecularly-defined and prospectively selected patient population. I look forward to working with the entire team to help ensure the rapid advancement of these potential new medicines for cancer patients.”
Prior to joining Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Senderowicz served as chief medical officer at Cerulean Pharma, where he helped secure fast-track designation for the company’s lead clinical development program in two indications. Previously, Dr. Senderowicz held roles of increasing responsibility at Ignyta, Inc., Sanofi Oncology, Tokai Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca plc. He began his career as an investigator at the National Cancer Institute before joining the FDA’s CDER.
“Adrian has deep expertise translating early scientific research into meaningful clinical outcomes, and possesses the vision, experience and leadership skills required to realize the company’s full potential during this next phase of its evolution,” said Jigar Raythatha, president and chief executive officer of Constellation Pharmaceuticals. “His background in drug development and the regulatory process will be instrumental as we advance our two lead clinical programs toward registration.”
Additional Management Team Updates
In addition to Dr. Senderowicz’s appointment, Constellation Pharmaceuticals is bolstering its efforts by aligning its management team with near- and long-term research and development priorities. As such, the company has promoted Patrick Trojer, Ph.D., to senior vice president of the EZH2 franchise and head of translational sciences; Robert Sims, Ph.D., to senior vice president of research; and Brenda Sousa to senior vice president of human resources and operations.
Drs. Trojer and Sims, both founding scientists of Constellation Pharmaceuticals, will work with Dr. Senderowicz to advance its two ongoing clinical development programs and novel R&D programs. As the head of the EZH2 franchise, Dr. Trojer will also be responsible for integrating translational research, clinical development and pre-commercial activities across CPI-1205 and the company’s next-generation PRC2 medicines. Moreover, Dr. Sims will lead the company’s discovery work, specifically applying its research in cancer epigenetics to the highly complementary area of immuno-oncology. Ms. Sousa will continue to focus on talent acquisition and development, as well as operations to ensure the company is well positioned to achieve its goals.
“These promotions are designed to better align our team’s resources to the company’s near- and long-term research priorities,” Raythatha added. “In the next year and a half, we anticipate completing several value-creating milestones, including transitioning to late-stage development and pre-commercialization of our EZH2 and BET candidates, and fast-tracking these programs to deliver treatments to patients most likely to benefit from them.”
About Constellation Pharmaceuticals
Constellation Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of novel tumor-targeted and immuno-oncology therapies based on its pioneering research in cancer epigenetics. With nearly a decade of experience in the field, the company has an unparalleled understanding of how chromatin biology modulates gene expression. Constellation is translating these insights to advance the company’s two lead clinical programs, EZH2 and BET, and in novel targets for which cancer epigenetics plays a central role.
For more information, please visit www.constellationpharma.com.
