DRESDEN, Germany, July 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today GEMoaB GmbH, a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on discovery, development, manufacturing and commercialization of next generation immunotherapies for hard-to-treat cancers, announced the appointment of Michael Pehl as its new CEO, effective as of July 1st, 2019. This reflects GEMoaB's strategy to position itself as a fully integrated biotech company for long-term success, building on the strong science and R&D foundation of the company.
"We are excited that such an oncology-experienced industry executive like Michael will lead GEMoaB to its next stage of growth. Led by Michael, GEMoaB will continue to progress its next generation and proprietary immunotherapy platforms of Affinity-Tailored Adapters for T-Cells (ATAC) such as GEM333 and GEM3PSCA as well as cellular immunotherapies (UniCAR/RevCAR) into the clinic to significantly improve outcomes of patients with hard-to-treat blood cancers and solid tumors," said Professor Dr. med. Gerhard Ehninger, Company Founder and Co-Owner. "I have known Michael for many years. He is science focused, highly experienced and well positioned to lead and develop GEMoaB and its exceptional staff, pipeline and partnerships."
Mr. Pehl brings to GEMoaB over 25 years of international biotechnology and oncology leadership experience in both the U.S. and Europe. He joins GEMoaB from Immunomedics Inc., where he served as Chief Executive Officer, leading the implementation of the development plan and the regulatory submission of the core product sacituzumab govetecan in metastatic triple negative breast cancer.
Previously, Michael Pehl had been President of Oncology at Celgene, as such responsible for the company's global commercial, clinical development and medical strategy and operations. During that time, Mr. Pehl had been crucial for the development of the pipeline and continued growth in global sales. His responsibility included global clinical programs and commercial launches of drugs like lenalidomide (Revlimid), pomalidomide (Pomalyst; Imnovid) and enasidenib (IDHIFA) in hematological malignancies, nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) in solid tumors and luspatercept in MDS and beta-thalassemia.
Prior to this role, Mr. Pehl had served Celgene as Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Strategy; Head of Global Marketing; Head of Hematology Europe; Vice President Central and Eastern Europe & Middle East and General Manager Germany.
His industry career started at AMGEN where he had held German and European commercial leadership roles in Oncology and Nephrology.
"I am grateful that I have been provided with the opportunity to head GEMoaB and work with its outstanding team during such an exciting and transformative time," said Michael Pehl. "With its truly differentiated next generation immunotherapy platforms and its evolving pre-clinical and clinical pipeline, GEMoaB is extremely well positioned for future success. Together with our partners and potential investors, it is my goal to progress GEMoaB into a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company that will help to improve the outcomes of cancer patients in currently heavily underserved indications."
About the Affinity-Tailored Adaptor for T-Cells (ATAC) platform
GEMoaB's platform of Affinity-Tailored Adaptors for T-Cells is characterized by high binding affinity to tumor antigens and lower affinity to the CD3 antigen on T-effector cells, preventing T-Cell auto-activation in pre-clinical models. Safety and tolerability of the treatment are also increased by the relatively short (60 min) serum half-life. The use of fully humanized antibodies reduces the risk for immunogenicity even in case of chronic dosing. The first two clinical stage ATAC assets are GEM333 and GEM3PSCA. GEM333 is an ATAC with binding specificities to CD3 and CD33, currently in early clinical development in CD33 positive relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (for further information see https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03516760). GEM3PSCA is an ATAC with binding specificities to CD3 and PSCA.
About UniCAR & RevCAR
To overcome toxicities as well as efficacy and manufacturing limitations of current CAR-T therapies, GEMoaB GmbH has established universal and modular CAR technologies called UniCAR & RevCAR. These genetically modified T-cells can repeatedly be turned on and off via dosing of a targeting module . TMs are bispecific molecules against diverse antigens, which crosslink UniCAR/RevCAR T-cells with malignant target cells. After elimination of the respective TM, UniCAR/RevCAR T-cells automatically turn off.
About GEMoaB GmbH
GEMoaB GmbH is a privately-owned, limited liability clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that is focused on becoming a leading, fully integrated biopharmaceutical company. By focusing on its proprietary next generation ATAC, UniCAR and RevCAR platforms, the company intends to discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize next generation immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer patients with a high unmet medical need. GEMoaB works in close cooperation with its sister company Cellex GmbH, the world leader in the production of allogeneic and autologous cell products, which is responsible for manufacturing UniCAR and RevCAR.
GEMoaB has a broad pipeline of product candidates in preclinical and clinical development for the treatment of hematological malignancies as well as solid tumors. Its lead clinical stage assets GEM333, an Affinity-Tailored Adaptor for T-Cells (ATAC) with binding specificity to CD33 in relapsed/refractory AML, and GEM3PSCA, an ATAC with binding specificity to PSCA for the treatment of refractory castrate-resistant metastatic prostate cancer, pancreatic, breast, bladder, renal and non-small cell lung cancer are currently in Phase I studies.
Forward-looking Statements
This announcement includes forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results and matters discussed in the forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning our plans, goals, future events and or other information that is not historical information.
The Company does not assume any liability whatsoever for forward-looking statements. The Company assumes that potential partners will perform and rely on their own independent analyses as the case may be. The Company will be under no obligation to update the Information.
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For further information, please contact:
Constanze Medack
Email: c.medack@gemoab.commailto:; Tel.: +49-351-4466-45027
Investor Contact:
Michael Pehl
Email: m.pehl@gemoab.com; Tel.: +49-351-4466-45030
