AffyImmune Appoints Deyaa Adib, MD as Chief Medical Officer

NATICK, Mass., Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AffyImmune Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing its novel, first-in-class ICAM-1 targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for solid tumors, today announced the appointment of Deyaa Adib, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. Adib brings over 28 years of experience in pharmaceutical research and development in oncology, including the advancement of clinical-stage engineered T cell therapies. Dr. Adib will oversee all clinical activities for AffyImmune including the strategic direction and execution of clinical development programs, leading the efforts and teams in clinical operations, clinical research, clinical regulatory engagement, pharmacovigilance, biometrics and medical affairs.

"We are pleased to have Dr. Adib join us on our mission to address the unmet needs for patients with advanced thyroid cancers and non-small cell lung cancer," said Dr. Daniel Janse, President and Chief Executive Officer, AffyImmune. "Dr. Adib brings extensive experience in late-stage clinical development and regulatory engagement for AffyImmune to bring our therapeutic to patients. We look forward to Deyaa's contributions as a proven drug developer, business leader and researcher in our continued evolution toward becoming a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a maturing clinical pipeline."  

As a seasoned industry leader, Dr. Adib has diversified medical oncology experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, including seven successful registrations across solid tumor and hematologic malignancy indications. Most recently, he was CMO of FibroGen ($FGEN), where he advanced the CD46 ADC program in prostate cancer and evaluated two large, completed registration trials conducted in pancreatic cancer. Prior to that Dr. Adib brought two novel T cell therapy programs to the clinic as CMO of Triumvira Immunologics. Dr. Adib was also acting CMO at Rain Therapeutics ($RAIN), where he built the oncology portfolio leading to a successful IPO, and vice president of late-stage development at Blueprint Medicines ($BPMC), advancing the development of avapritinib currently approved for gastrointestinal stromal tumors and advanced systemic mastocytosis.

Earlier in his career Dr. Adib served as global therapeutics head for solid tumors at Baxalta, licensing and advancing the development of nanoliposomal irinotecan, which was subsequently established as the global second-line standard of care for pancreatic cancer. In this role, he also led the efforts to secure licensing and development of a CD19 target with Precision Biosciences in B cell malignancies, and PD1, LAG3, TIM3 solid tumor targets with Symphogen, currently a Servier company. He also served as head of hematologic malignancies at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals (now part of Takeda) leading the global clinical program for ponatinib dose finding and line extension in chronic myeloid leukemia.

"I am excited to join a highly talented group of drug developers to lead the clinical development organization during this important time at AffyImmune, as the company is rapidly advancing the clinical development of its autologous ICAM-1 targeted CAR T cell therapy, AIC100, for advanced thyroid cancers and non-small cell lung cancers," said Dr. Adib. "I look forward to progressing the current clinical studies through an accelerated registration path and launch to bring valuable medicines to patients with maladies of significant unmet medical need." 

Dr. Adib obtained an M.B.,B.Ch. degree from Cairo University School of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt. He completed his postgraduate medical oncology training at the Anglo-American Cancer Institute in Cairo and additionally at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, in clinical pharmacology, drug development and regulations. Deyaa also pursued research fellowship in cancer immunology, rheumatology at St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey. His early industry roles spanned large pharmaceutical and small biotech companies, including oncology clinical development leadership positions at Aventis, Sanofi and Astellas Pharma.

About AffyImmune Therapeutics

AffyImmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing a first-in-class, ICAM-1 targeting and affinity-tuned LFA-1 binder CAR T therapy to transform the lives of patients with advanced solid cancers. The Company's proprietary technology utilizing ICAM-1/LFA-1 interaction can potentially address the critical CAR T challenges such as toxicity, antigen loss, T-cell trafficking and exhaustion, while also allowing in vivo tracking of the CAR T cells. Its lead candidate, AIC100, is currently in a Phase 1 study to treat patients with advanced thyroid cancers, including advanced differentiated thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer. AffyImmune is developing a focused pipeline in ICAM-1-positive cancers with high unmet medical need. AffyImmune is based in Natick, Mass. For more information, visit www.affyimmune.com.

Contacts
Media:
Daniel Janse
AffyImmune Therapeutics
djanse@affyimmune.com
(508) 960-1526

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SOURCE AffyImmune Therapeutics