BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Syntimmune, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing antibody therapeutics targeting FcRn, today announced an expansion of its board of directors with the appointment of Andrew Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., the chief medical officer and an executive vice president at Gilead Sciences (NYSE: GILD).
Dr. Cheng has a 20-year track record of accomplishments, including leading the formulation of Phase 1-4 clinical development plans as well as the filing and approval of NDA and MAA submissions for 11 approved HIV products. His past roles at Gilead include leading the company’s development operations, which covered clinical research support in multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, inflammatory, respiratory and cardiovascular indications as well as HIV and liver diseases. Dr. Cheng holds an M.D. and a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology from Columbia University.
“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Cheng to the board,” said Seth Harrison, M.D., chairman of the Syntimmune Board of Directors. “His experience in building a world-class organization, with the ability to advance products from clinical development through regulatory approval with industry-leading speed, will be of great value to the company as we continue to the next level of success.”
Jean-Paul Kress, M.D., Syntimmune’s president and CEO, said: “Under Dr. Cheng’s leadership, Gilead has developed and received regulatory approval for medicines that have transformed care for millions of people around the world with HIV, viral hepatitis and other serious illnesses. His clinical and scientific expertise will be tremendously beneficial as we advance our programs focused on the treatment of patients with IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases.”
About Syntimmune
Founded in 2013, Syntimmune is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing differentiated drug candidates in a wide range of autoimmune diseases. Based on the pioneering and groundbreaking research of its scientific founders, the company is advancing novel therapies based on its deep expertise in the biology of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) and its complex role in the pathogenesis of IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases. Syntimmune’s lead candidate, SYNT001, is a monoclonal antibody that specifically blocks FcRn-IgG interactions and is being studied in multiple Phase 1b/2a trials for the treatment of IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases. Syntimmune is also developing SYNT002, which targets FcRn-albumin interactions to facilitate the clearance of albumin-bound toxins. Headquartered in Boston, Mass., Syntimmune has raised $78 million in private financing from leading life sciences investors led by Apple Tree Partners. Investors also include Partners Innovation Fund, FMB Research, and AFB Fund. For more information on Syntimmune, please visit the company’s website at www.syntimmune.com.
