SystImmune, Inc. Announces the Appointment of Dr. Jonathan Cheng as New Chief Medical Officer

REDMOND, Wash., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SystImmune, Inc., a pioneering clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutic bi-specific, multi-specific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer, today announced the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Cheng as Chief Medical Officer. He joined SystImmune from Bristol Myers Squibb, where he served as the Senior Vice President and Therapeutic Area Oncology Head, overseeing late-stage clinical development of the oncology portfolio. Dr. Cheng succeeds Dr. Martin Olivo, who is leaving SystImmune to pursue external opportunities.

"I am excited to welcome Dr. Cheng to our leadership team," said Jie D'Elia, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of SystImmune. "His global oncology development expertise and in-depth regulatory knowledge will accelerate our efforts to advance SystImmune's pipeline and transform patient care. On behalf of the SystImmune team, I want to express our deep appreciation to Dr. Martin Olivo for his dedication and contributions to SystImmune. We wish him well in his future endeavors."

Dr. Yi Zhu, Chairman of SystImmune, stated "Dr. Cheng brings a wealth of expertise and a remarkable track record in oncology drug development, making him an invaluable addition to SystImmune's executive leadership team."

Dr. Cheng's career spans both the pharmaceutical industry and academia, where he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a passion for advancing cancer treatments. Under Dr. Cheng's leadership, BMS developed and received regulatory approval for multiple important medicines, including Nivolumab, Ipilimumab, Relatlimab, and Repotrectinib. His strategic vision also enhanced BMS's internal and collaboration portfolio. Previously, Dr. Cheng served as Vice President and Oncology Therapeutic Area Head at Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) and led teams in securing approvals for Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib across multiple oncology indications. Prior to his career in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Cheng had a successful academic career at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where he conducted groundbreaking research as the principal investigator in tumor stromal biology, resulting in over 150 original manuscripts and abstracts. Dr. Cheng received a BS from Marquette University and an MD from the University of Minnesota.

About SystImmune

SystImmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company located in Redmond, WA. It specializes in developing innovative cancer treatments using its established drug development platforms, focusing on bi-specific, multi-specific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). SystImmune has multiple assets in various stages of clinical trials for solid tumor and hematologic indications. Alongside ongoing clinical trials, SystImmune has a robust preclinical pipeline of potential cancer therapeutics in the discovery or IND-enabling stages, representing cutting-edge biologics development. 

SOURCE SystImmune, Inc.