Australian company EpiAxis Therapeutics has announced new appointments to its board of directors as it works towards a partnership to progress the further development of its pipeline.
The pharmaceutical discovery company is advancing its epigenetic assets that target the nuclear-bound fraction of the enzyme lysine-specific demethylase 1(LSD1) as a new treatment for metastatic disease, with breast cancer being its lead indication.
It has announced the appointment of Professor Pamela Munster, Keir J Loiacono and Dr David Fuller to its board of directors.
Professor Munster is a medical oncologist in the Department of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology) at the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF). She is also the director of the Early Phase Clinical Trial Unit, co-leader of the Center for BRCA Research and Leader of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at UCSF’s Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre.
Keir J Loiacono is currently general counsel and vice president for corporate development at OncoSec. Previously, Mr Loiacono was lead in-house counsel and director of intellectual property at Advaxis.
Dr Fuller is senior vice president for clinical development at Syneos Health Clinical Solutions’ oncology business unit. Dr Fuller was previously the chief medical officer at Arana Therapeutics and vice president for clinical research at Genzyme.
According to EpiAxis chair Nick McNaughton, “This marks a notable milestone for the company in our quest for a new treatment to address metastatic disease. Our new directors are leaders in their field and upgrade the company’s capability and global coverage. We very much look forward to advancing our journey with the benefit of our new directors with their proven skill sets.”
The appointment of the new directors was facilitated by the Sage Group with the company also saying it is working under a wider remit to identify a potential partnership between EpiAxis and an aligned pharmaceutical or research-intensive biotechnology company.
"EpiAxis envisions a partnership that will provide the partner with special epigenetic knowledge and expertise related to LSD1 and novel mechanisms of inhibition, as well as the EpiAxis drug candidates," said the company in a statement.
"These will be offered in return for worldwide rights to products advanced by the partner’s clinical, regulatory, and commercialization capabilities."
“Our intellectual property position, which includes our first-in-class inhibitors, offers a highly attractive suite of assets that underline our belief that we can become the leader in the epigenetic control of metastatic cancer.” said EpiAxis CEO Dr Jeremy Chrisp.