Oxford BioTherapeutics Appoints Senior Clinical Biotech Executive as Non-Executive Director

OXFORD, England and SAN JOSE, California, June 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT), a clinical stage oncology company with a pipeline of immuno-oncology and antibody-drug conjugate based therapies, has appointed Dr John McHutchison, Executive Vice President, Clinical Research, Gilead Sciences to its Board of Directors.

Dr McHutchison brings almost 20 years of clinical and drug development experience to the Board, most recently in his tenure at Gilead. He is responsible for Gilead's development programs in liver diseases, haematology and oncology, and inflammatory and respiratory diseases, having previously served as Senior Vice President, Liver Disease Therapeutics. In his six years at Gilead, he has led the organisation in the successful filing of five NDAs and numerous supplemental label updates across multiple therapeutic areas, including the successful curative HCV regimens.

Dr McHutchison also brings to the Board a wealth of experience from prior academic roles at Duke University Medical Centre, North Carolina, USA; Scripps Clinic, San Diego, USA; and the University of Southern California USA. In addition to his roles on multiple review committees and boards, he is a member of numerous societies, including the Association of American Physicians, and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Speaking about his appointment, Dr McHutchison said, "I am delighted to be joining OBT at this exciting time. Their portfolio of novel therapeutic targets they are bringing to the clinic has the potential to produce transformative oncology medicines."

Bernd Seizinger, NED Chairman of OBT, commented: "OBT's progression as a clinical stage oncology company will benefit from Dr McHutchison's wealth of knowledge in bringing novel treatments to patients. I, together with the Board, am pleased to welcome Dr McHutchison to the team."

About Oxford BioTherapeutics 

OBT is a clinical stage oncology company with a pipeline of immuno-oncology and antibody-drug conjugate based therapies. OBT's IO discovery process provides unique insight into the cancer - immune cell synapse, and has identified several novel IO candidates for cancer therapy.

OBT's first program in the clinic, MEN1112 (OBT357), is an ADCC* targeting Bst1/CD157-expressing AML blasts & leukemic stem cells, and is currently being evaluated in a phase I dose escalation trial for relapsed/refractory Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. MEN1309 (OBT076), a DM4 ADC** for triple-negative metastatic breast cancer and other solid cancers as well as Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, is on track for first-in-human trials beginning in mid-2017.

Oxford BioTherapeutics has struck multiple significant development deals commercially validating its unique target selection and development capabilities, most recently a large collaboration with Menarini worth up to €800 million. This partnership fully funds the clinical development of five product candidates to phase II proof-of-concept, while Oxford BioTherapeutics retains US and Japan commercial rights. Two pre-clinical stage programs are partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim.

Oxford BioTherapeutics has a strong oncology specialist management team and board with significant experience in developing immuno-oncology and antibody-based therapies. The company is based in Oxford, UK, and San Jose, CA. For further information, please see www.oxfordbiotherapeutics.com

*ADCC: Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity

**ADC: Antibody-drug conjugates

Media Contacts:
Sylvie Berrebi
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: +44-(0)-20-7282-1052
[email protected]

Dr Christian Rohlff
Oxford BioTherapeutics
+44-(0)-1235-861770
[email protected]

SOURCE Oxford BioTherapeutics