Co-founder and former CEO of Plexxikon brings a proven track record of building platform-based companies and delivering novel medicines to patientsPARIS, Dec. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enterome, a clinical-stage company developing first-in-class immunomodulatory drugs for solid and liquid malignancies and inflammatory diseases based on its unique Mimicry platform, today announced the appointment of Dr. K. Peter Hirth to its Board of Directors. Dr. Hirth brings 30 years of biotech leadership and expertise in biotechnology and pharmaceutical discovery and development. He replaces Dr. Roger J. Garceau, who has stepped down from the Board. "We are delighted to welcome Peter to Enterome's Board of Directors," said Dr. Pierre Bélichard, Chief Executive Officer of Enterome. "Peter is a recognized leader in the biotech industry and his extensive experience in corporate strategy and drug development will be invaluable to Enterome’s future growth and success. We look forward to Peter’s guidance as we execute on our vision to bring OncoMimics™ based immunotherapies to patients in need. I’d also like to thank Roger for his invaluable contributions to Enterome during his time on the Board." Dr. Hirth possesses a wealth of experience and an exceptional track record in the biopharmaceutical industry. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the Board of IO Biotech and as a Director on the boards of Vaxcyte, Trex Bio, and Aligos Therapeutics. In addition, he acts as an Advisor to Wellington Partners, a global venture capital firm. Previously, Dr. Hirth served as CEO and co-founder of Plexxikon from 2001 to 2013, where he led the development of a novel, structure-guided drug discovery platform, resulting in several new chemical entities entering clinical trials, including Zelboraf®, an FDA-approved therapy for metastatic melanoma. Before Plexxikon, Dr. Hirth was President and co-founder of Sugen, a company that went public on Nasdaq in 1994 and was later acquired by Pharmacia/Pfizer. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in building the company and advancing several kinase inhibitors through clinical trials in oncology. Notably, Sutent®, a drug for the treatment of a type of gastrointestinal cancer, was subsequently approved for human use. Dr. Hirth also served as Vice President of Research at Boehringer Mannheim, where he successfully led the company’s erythropoietin program to approval. He started his career as a research scientist with the Max Planck Institutes. Dr. Hirth received his PhD in Molecular Genetics from Heidelberg University, Germany, and completed his post-doctoral work at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Hirth commented: "I am honored to join Enterome at this exciting time. The emerging clinical data from the OncoMimics™ pipeline continue to demonstrate strong, durable, and target-specific immune responses associated with positive clinical outcomes in various oncologic indications. I eagerly anticipate contributing to Enterome’s mission to develop first-in-class immunomodulatory drugs and I look forward to collaborating with the management and fellow Board members." Contacts ENTEROMEMEDIA RELATIONSGuillaume BayreHead of External CommunicationsTel: +33 (0)1 76 21 58 15communication@enterome.comLifeSci Advisors LLCAshley R. Robinson (US)+1 617 430 7577arr@lifesciadvisors.comSandya von der Weid (Europe)+41 78 680 05 38svonderweid@lifesciadvisors.com About Enterome Enterome is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing breakthrough immunomodulatory drugs for the treatment of cancer and immune diseases. Enterome’s pioneering approach to drug discovery is based on its unique and powerful bacterial Mimicry drug discovery platform, which allows it to analyze and uncover new biological insights from the millions of gut bacterial proteins in constant cross-talk with the human body. Enterome’s first-in-class small protein and peptide drug candidates modulate the immune system by closely mimicking the structure, effect or actions of specific antigens, hormones, or cytokines. The company’s two pipelines of drug candidates include: OncoMimics™ peptides, a pipeline of peptide-based immunotherapies. Lead candidate, EO2401, is in Phase 2 clinical trials in patients with glioblastoma and adrenal tumors and has demonstrated clinical proof of concept. EO2463 is in a Phase 2 clinical trial for indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and has demonstrated a good safety profile with first signs of efficacy. EO4010 is in clinical development for third-line colorectal cancer and EO2040 is in a Phase 2 trial in patients suffering from colorectal cancer with ctDNA-defined, minimal residual disease.EndoMimics™ peptides, a pipeline of next generation bioactives acting like human hormones or cytokines, are being developed in collaboration with Nestlé Health Science, for food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The lead candidate, EB1010, is expected to enter clinical development in 2024. Enterome employs 70 people and is headquartered in Paris, France. Since its inception, the company has raised a total of €118 million from Europe- and US-based life science investors and more than €100 million from pharmaceutical partnerships. For more information, please visit the company’s website at: www.enterome.com
