BOSTON & SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Affini-T Therapeutics, Inc., a precision immunotherapy company unlocking the power of T cells against oncogenic driver mutations, today announced the appointment of Thaminda Ramanayake as Chief Business Officer. Mr. Ramanayake is a business development and transactions specialist who has spent over a decade working to bring value to patients globally and has a strong track record in company creation, in/out-licensing, M&A, joint ventures and cross-border transactions. He previously served as Vice President, Global Head of Business Development, Oncology at Sanofi, shaping the company’s oncology business strategy and leading many collaborations to unlock multi-billion dollars in value.
“Thaminda possesses a distinctive skill set that seamlessly integrates science and business acumen to inform strategic decision-making for first-in-class oncology drug development. His unwavering passion for delivering transformative therapies to patients with hard-to-treat solid tumors aligns with the central motivation driving our work,” said Jak Knowles, M.D., Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Affini-T Therapeutics. “We are excited to have him on board and look forward to seeing his impact as we advance our KRAS-targeting therapies into the clinic, including evaluating partnership opportunities across our Tailor™, Tune™ and Thrive™ platforms.”
Mr. Ramanayake demonstrated exemplary leadership and advisory skills at Sanofi, where he successfully guided and facilitated various deals encompassing research/clinical collaborations, M&A, asset in-licensing, and strategic financing initiatives. These efforts were instrumental in facilitating access to and expediting innovation in the areas of rare diseases and oncology therapeutics. Prior to his tenure at Sanofi, Mr. Ramanayake played a pivotal role at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, leading initiatives to fortify the rare diseases portfolio and establish new enterprises. Additionally, he served as the Global Transactions Lead at Amgen. Earlier in his career, Mr. Ramanayake held prominent positions in business development and consulting at Grant Thornton, Ernst & Young and Empire Valuation Consultants. Mr. Ramanayake holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in molecular, cellular and systems biology from Berea College, as well as a Master of Science degree in immunology from the University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry. Furthermore, he earned an MBA in finance from the University of Rochester Simon Business School.
“Each day, we are witnessing incredible strides in cutting-edge precision immunotherapy for solid tumors, and like so many of us personally impacted by cancer, I am hopeful for this next wave of innovation for patients in need,” said Mr. Ramanayake. “Affini-T is transforming how we approach treating solid tumors by targeting highly prevalent oncogenic driver mutations such as KRAS, by redirecting the immune system against cancer. The sophistication and robustness of Affini-T’s therapeutic platforms, paired with its dynamic R&D team, position the Company to realize the full potential of its therapeutic approaches in treating patients with the most devastating cancers. I am eager to join this team to drive ingenuity and business partnerships that support their mission to deliver life-changing therapies.”
About Affini-T Therapeutics
Affini-T is a leading precision immunotherapy company targeting core oncogenic driver mutations to develop potentially curative therapies for patients with solid tumors. Our differentiated cell therapy platforms harness state-of-the-art engineering, synthetic biology, and gene editing capabilities to target even the most devastating cancer-driving mutations, beginning with KRAS. We leverage these tools to optimize T cell functions and rewrite the rules of the solid tumor microenvironment, enabling the potential for sustained clinical outcomes in patients. Building on the world-class innovation inherent in our leadership team, founders and technologies, we are powered to develop transformational medicines that last. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
