New members offer world-class expertise in human genetics, translational research and drug discovery in oncology, inflammation and immunology
CAMBRIDGE, Mass./PRNewswire/ -- Kymera Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering targeted protein degradation to create breakthrough medicines for patients, today announced the expansion of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to support development of the company's Pegasus platform and advancement of its small molecule-based protein degrader therapeutics into the clinic. The board is comprised of world-class scientists and clinicians, including experts in proteomics, human genetics, chemistry, E3 ligase biology and translational and clinical research.
"It is an honor and a privilege to have such an esteemed group of advisors work alongside our team to realize the promise of targeted protein degradation and advance the field," said Nello Mainolfi, PhD, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Kymera Therapeutics. "This group of highly accomplished researchers have published over a thousand articles across cancer, autoimmune disorders and host of other conditions. Their insights will help to shape key enhancements to our drug discovery platform and advance Kymera's mission to discover life-changing therapeutics for patients."
New SAB members include:
Human Genetics
- Jean-Laurent Casanova, MD, PhD, professor at Rockefeller University and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Casanova's research centers on identifying genetic mutations in immune signaling pathways linked to pediatric infectious disease. He is also a world expert on IRAK4 and other immunokinase polymorphisms and their impact in humans.
Translational Research and Drug Discovery
- David Frank, MD, PhD, oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Frank seeks to understand how genetic dysregulations in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway contribute to leukemia and other blood cancers. He is also advancing the clinical development of STAT3 inhibitors for the treatment of cancer.
- Nick Keen, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Bicycle Therapeutics. Dr. Keen has extensive experience in preclinical/translational research and drug discovery in oncology. At Bicycle, he leads the development of bicyclic peptides, a novel approach which is being evaluated in the treatment of cancers, hematologic disorders, infections and other diseases. Before joining Bicycle, he was the Head of the Oncology group at the Novartis Institute of Biomedical Research (NIBR) in Cambridge.
- Owen O'Connor, MD, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Lymphoid Malignancies at Columbia University. Dr. O'Connor is considered an international authority on the management of lymphoma, and his research has pioneered the development of several new drugs approved to treat lymphoid malignancies.
- Antonio Sica, PhD, professor at the Humanitas Clinical and Research Center. Dr. Sica is an expert in understanding the role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in cancer and how conditions such as hypoxia contribute to their pro-tumoral differentiation.
- Robert Terkeltaub, MD, rheumatologist at the University of California San Diego. Dr. Terkeltaub specializes in understanding the molecular biology contributing to inflammatory conditions of the joints, muscles, and ligaments and has been involved in multiple clinical trials focused on treating these diseases.
They join Kymera's existing team of scientific advisors with deep experience in E3 ligase biology, proteomics, drug chemistry and translational research:
E3 Ligase Biology
- Michele Pagano, MD, Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at New York University School of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Pagano's research seeks to understand how the ubiquitin system regulates cellular processes and how ubiquitin dysregulation contributes to cancer.
- Ning Zheng, PhD, professor at the University of Washington School of Pharmacology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Zheng specializes in using X-ray crystallography to understand how ubiquitin ligases regulate protein turnover and cellular processes.
Platform Technology
- Steven Carr, PhD, director of Proteomics at the Broad Institute. Dr. Carr is a leader in developing novel proteomic approaches to understand protein modifications and interactions in cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infections.
- David Spiegel, MD, PhD, associate professor of Chemistry at Yale University. Dr. Spiegel's research focuses on developing novel chemical methods to synthesize complex molecules and natural products for the treatment of disease.
