Partner Therapeutics (PTx) Announces the Appointment of Ed Rock as Chief Medical Officer

Experienced industry physician scientist to lead clinical development

Co-founder, Dr. Debasish Roychowdhury, to serve as Chief Technology Officer

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Sep 15, 2020, 08:00 ET

LEXINGTON, Mass., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Partner Therapeutics, Inc. (PTx), a commercial biotechnology company, announced today its appointment of Edwin Rock, MD, PhD to serve as the company's Chief Medical Officer. In his role as CMO, Dr. Rock will oversee clinical development activities for PTx, as well as serve on the Company's executive leadership team.

Dr. Rock has 16 years of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Most recently, Ed was Clinical Project Leader and Vice President of Clinical Research at MacroGenics where he led the project team to complete Phase 3 SOPHIA trial enrollment, to analyze the study and then to write and defend the margetuximab BLA. Prior to MacroGenics, Ed served as Executive Director at Astex Pharmaceuticals where he led the team to generate the ASTRAL-1 guadecitabine trial protocol, initiate sites in 24 countries, and complete enrollment of 815 patients in 21 months.

Prior to Astex, Ed was Senior Director at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization (OPDC) where he led, oversaw, or defended at Advisory Committee diverse first-in-human through Phase 4 trials of Busulfex, Inqovi, Jynarque, Sprycel, and multiple pre-market new chemical entities and biologics. Prior to OPDC, Ed was Medical Director at GSK where he led or served as medical monitor for diverse biologic study products in Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials, including Nucala.

Before GSK, Ed served as a Medical Officer in oncology drug review at the US Food and Drug Administration where he completed 3 NDA reviews and had clinical responsibility for up to 80 INDs. Ed holds a B.A. in Biology and Economics from Swarthmore College, as well as PhD (Microbiology and Immunology, Mark Davis lab) and MD degrees from the Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed medical residency training at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, a medical oncology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, and a postdoctoral fellowship in vaccine engineering at Stanford. Following medical residency, Ed worked as a biotech buyside analyst at Leerink Swann and Company.

"We are very happy to welcome Ed to our team to lead clinical development activities," said Debasish Roychowdhury, PTx's Chief Technology Officer. "Ed's expertise in immunology, drug development and regulatory experience will be critical in the ongoing development of Leukine, that is showing tremendous potential in immunomodulation and application across a gamut of diseases."

"I am excited to join the PTx team to strengthen and expand the Leukine franchise and to identify additional products that can benefit from the Company's expertise", said Dr. Rock. "Leukine is an exciting drug that may have therapeutic utility in multiple life-threatening diseases, including cancer, COVID-19 and neurodegeneration, among others. I see tremendous potential for Leukine to help patients across diverse indications with high unmet medical need."

ABOUT LEUKINE
LEUKINE® (sargramostim) is a recombinant yeast derived human granulocyte-macrophage growth factor (rhuGM-CSF) that stimulates the differentiation, maturation and mobilization of cells involved in the innate and adaptive immune response. It is an important immune modulator that has been shown to facilitate cellular signaling, epithelial repair, and other critical processes that enhance the immune response and help defend the body against infection and cancer. Partner Therapeutics acquired the rights to Leukine in 2018. Leukine is held by the U.S. Government in the Strategic National Stockpile for use during public health emergencies. Leukine is available outside of the United States through a Named Patient Program administered by Tanner Pharma Group.

ABOUT PARTNER THERAPEUTICS
PTx is an integrated biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of late-stage therapeutics that improve health outcomes in the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. The company believes in delivering products and supporting medical teams with the purpose of achieving superior outcomes for patients and their families. Visit www.partnertx.com

SOURCE Partner Therapeutics, Inc.