OSS, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Citryll, a clinical-stage biotech company developing first-in-class therapeutics to treat autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, today announced that Dr. Paul Peter Tak, Citryll Board member since 2021, has been appointed Chair of the Board of Directors.
At GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Paul Peter served as Senior Vice President, Chief Immunology Officer and Global Development Leader. He oversaw the creation of a portfolio of investigational medicines for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, cancer, infectious disease and pain, several of which were subsequently approved. He was the Chair of GSK’s Scientific Review Board, the governing body accountable for the scientific assessment of its R&D portfolio. He has served as President and CEO of Tempero Pharmaceuticals (acquired by GSK), President and CEO of Kintai Therapeutics (merged with Senda Biosciences), and Board Director of Galvani Bioelectronics, ViiV Healthcare, Kintai Therapeutics, and Omega Therapeutics. He is currently President and CEO of Candel Therapeutics, a NASDAQ listed company developing viral immunotherapies for cancer, and also Board Director of Candel, Levicept, and Sitryx Therapeutics (co-founder).
“We are delighted to welcome Paul Peter as Chair of the Board of Directors. He is a recognized leader in the field of immunology and brings both clinical excellence in rheumatology as well as a strong track record of leadership in both big pharma and growing biotechs,” said Eric Meldrum, interim CEO. "With CIT-013 now in clinical development, Paul Peter’s experience and leadership will be of great benefit for Citryll in the coming critical years for the company.”
"We have an opportunity with Citryll’s novel approach to develop the next generation standard of care for the treatment of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases for patients in need," said Paul Peter Tak. “I am honored by the confidence of the board and excited about the potential of CIT-013, which will initially be evaluated in rheumatoid arthritis and hidradenitis suppurativa patients as enabling indications."
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Editor’s Note
Paul Peter Tak Bio
Paul Peter Tak received his medical degree cum laude from the Amsterdam University Medical Center (AUMC) and was trained as an internist, rheumatologist and immunologist at Leiden University Medical Center, where he also received his PhD. He was a scientist at the University of California San Diego and next served as Professor of Medicine and Chair of the Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology at the AUMC. He has published ~ 600 papers in peer-reviewed journals (H index 139) and served on numerous editorial boards, including as Co-Editor of Arthritis & Rheumatology. He received the Medal of Honour from the Netherlands Society for Rheumatology, was elected by peers as ‘Best Rheumatologist’ in the Netherlands (‘Toparts’), was awarded Honorary Membership by the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) and has been elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in the U.K.
For additional details on the biographies of the entire Board of Directors visit the Citryll corporate website: www.citryll.com.
About Citryll
Citryll has translated a deep understanding of the neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) pathway to therapeutically address its central role in a broad range of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. With a dual mode of action, the company’s lead antibody, CIT-013, has reached the clinic by demonstrating a precise and powerful ability to control NETs and NETosis. Citryll is initially developing CIT-013 as a novel drug for rheumatoid arthritis and hidradenitis suppurativa, building the foundation for a new treatment paradigm for autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases.
