SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FPRX), a biotechnology company discovering and developing innovative immuno-oncology protein therapeutics, today announced the appointment of Bryan Irving, Ph.D., as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer.
“We are delighted to promote Bryan to this important leadership role. Bryan will set forth the discovery strategy and priorities for the optimal use of our comprehensive IND engine to expand our product pipeline,” said Aron Knickerbocker, chief executive officer of Five Prime Therapeutics. “In addition to his leadership and managerial abilities, Bryan brings a passion for innovative science and extensive immuno-oncology experience. Among his most notable contributions is his inventorship and leadership in developing atezolizumab (Tecentriq®), which is now approved for the treatment of several cancers. We look forward to his future contributions in helping us identify new targets, which could translate into new drug candidates that help patients in ways never before possible."
Dr. Irving joined Five Prime in August 2017 as the Vice President of Research. Prior to joining Five Prime, Dr. Irving was at CytomX Therapeutics, where he most recently served as Vice President of Cancer Immunology, leading efforts to generate protease-activatable immunotherapies designed to mobilize anti-tumor immunity locally in the tumor microenvironment. His research has focused primarily on exploring ways to modulate T cell activity for therapeutic benefit in both autoimmune and oncology settings. Dr. Irving's doctoral work, performed in the laboratory of Dr. Art Weiss at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), pioneered the single-chain chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology now being used in patients’ T cells to treat hematologic malignancies. Following post-doctoral work at Harvard and UCSF on early T cell development, Dr. Irving joined Genentech in 2001 where he worked for 12 years in a joint appointment with the Departments of Immunology and Oncology/Cancer Immunotherapy. Dr. Irving left Genentech in 2013 to join CytomX Therapeutics.
Dr. Irving received a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of California, San Francisco and a B.A. in Physiology from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition, Dr. Irving studied clarinet at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester.
About Five Prime
Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops innovative therapeutics to improve the lives of patients with serious diseases. Five Prime's comprehensive discovery platform, which encompasses virtually every medically relevant extracellular protein, positions it to explore pathways in cancer, inflammation and their intersection in immuno-oncology, an area with significant therapeutic potential and the focus of the company's R&D activities. Five Prime has entered into strategic collaborations with leading global pharmaceutical companies and has promising product candidates in clinical and late preclinical development. For more information, please visit www.fiveprime.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Cautionary Note on Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend" and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Five Prime's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Five Prime's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" contained therein. Except as required by law, Five Prime assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, even as new information becomes available.
