Pedro J. Beltran, PhD, a seasoned executive who previously served as Chief Scientific Officer of BBOT, will assume the position of Chief Executive Officer, bringing his extensive drug development experience and scientific/business acumen to bear as the company's top executive
Idan Elmelech, who previously served as Senior Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, will assume the position of Chief Operating Officer overseeing finance & accounting, corporate strategy, operations, and business development
Neil Kumar, PhD, who played an integral role in the founding of BBOT as part of BridgeBio Pharma, Inc., has been appointed as Executive Chairman by the Board of Directors to guide the company as it embarks on its next stage of development
Former CEO, Eli Wallace, PhD, will serve as a Senior Adviser to the company, continuing to leverage his scientific expertise and deep understanding of BBOT's programs to support the company going forward
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics, Inc. ("BBOT") (Nasdaq: BBOT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on RAS-pathway malignancies, today announced the appointment of Pedro J. Beltran, PhD, as Chief Executive Officer and Idan Elmelech as Chief Operating Officer effective April 20th, 2026. This transition reflects BBOT entering a new phase of development as the company's three clinical assets enter expansions and combinations across multiple RAS-driven cancers. The Board of Directors believes that elevating the next generation of BBOT's leadership will enable the company to execute with strategic precision and purpose in order to improve outcomes for patients with RAS and PI3Ka malignancies.
"As BBOT's programs enter Phase 1b expansions in multiple indications across the RAS and PI3Ka space, the company has recognized Pedro and Idan's strategic vision, scientific acumen, and leadership capabilities to guide the company through its next phase of growth. BBOT is rapidly progressing towards pivotal trials to help more patients afflicted with some of the world's deadliest cancers. This leadership transition is designed to accelerate and focus the development of BBOT's programs and continue the company's ethos of putting patients first," said Neil Kumar, PhD, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Dr. Kumar added, "The Board of Directors would like to thank Eli Wallace for his service to the company as CEO and looks forward to continuing to work with him in his new role as Senior Adviser."
Dr. Beltran brings decades of experience in oncology drug development including 20 years with large pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Beltran joined BridgeBio Pharma in 2020 as Senior Vice President of Biology and became Chief Scientific Officer of BBOT in July 2023. Prior to BridgeBio, Dr. Beltran was Senior Vice President, Head of Biology at UNITY Biotechnology and Executive Director, Oncology Research at Amgen, Inc. Dr. Beltran has led multiple IND filings, authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, presented at multiple national/international scientific conferences, and holds diverse patents for the treatment of malignant diseases.
"I am energized and excited to step into the role of CEO as BBOT enters this important new chapter in its short trajectory. I am looking forward to continuing to partner with Idan, our Chief Medical Officer, Yong Ben, the board of directors, and the rest of our mission-driven BBOT team to focus our strategic execution in the pursuit of bringing fast and maximal benefit to patients from our novel therapies," said Dr. Beltran.
Bihua Chen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cormorant Asset Management and a BBOT director, said, "We believe that BBOT is heading towards inflection points across its portfolio. This change in leadership reflects our goal to move with urgency to deliver returns for patients and investors alike."
About BBOT
BBOT is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing a next-generation pipeline of novel small molecule therapeutics targeting RAS and PI3Ka malignancies. BBOT has the goal of improving outcomes for patients with cancers driven by the two most prevalent oncogenes in human tumors. For more information, please visit www.bbotx.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
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