ALX Oncology Announces Further Additions to Leadership Team and Board of Directors, Appointing Harish Shantharam as Chief Financial Officer and Adding Barbara Klencke and Chris Takimoto to Board of Directors
23 January 2025 - 12:00AM
ALX Oncology Holdings Inc., (“ALX Oncology” or the “Company”)
(Nasdaq: ALXO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing
therapies that boost the immune system to treat cancer and extend
patients’ lives, today announced the appointment of Harish
Shantharam, CFA, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In addition, the
company appointed Barbara Klencke, M.D., and Chris H. Takimoto,
M.D., Ph.D., FACP, to its Board of Directors. These appointments
follow the recent additions to the ALX Oncology executive team of
Alan Sandler, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, and Allison Dillon,
Ph.D., as Chief Business Officer.
“We are excited to welcome Harish, Barbara and Chris to the ALX
Oncology team,” said Jason Lettmann, Chief Executive Officer at ALX
Oncology. “Their diverse range of experience adds deep financial,
clinical and business development leadership to our team as we
advance our lead candidate evorpacept into late-stage clinical
trials in 2025. Harish brings a proven track record of leading
finance functions with an emphasis on operational excellence to
deliver results through pivotal growth periods, building high
performing teams and scaling organizations, which will be
invaluable as we embark on a transformational year for ALX. Barbara
and Chris are globally recognized and well-respected oncology
leaders with demonstrated business acumen who share our dedication
to advancing and delivering clinically meaningful immuno-oncology
innovation.”
“I look forward to working with Barbara and Chris on the Board
of Directors,” said Corey Goodman, Ph.D., Chairman of ALX Oncology.
“Their expertise in cancer research and in the development of
innovative oncology therapies across all stages of R&D – from
discovery to regulatory approval and commercialization – make them
exceptional additions and assets to the ALX Oncology Board.”
Harish Shantharam, CFA Mr. Shantharam has over
20 years of experience in financial and commercial functions at a
broad range of biotech and biopharmaceutical companies at various
stages of growth and market capitalization. His expertise spans
finance strategy and operations, commercialization, capital markets
engagement and business development. Most recently, he served as
Chief Financial Officer at CymaBay Therapeutics, where he helped
guide the company in its transition towards late-stage development
and commercial readiness and through its $4.3 billion acquisition
by Gilead Sciences. Earlier in his career, he served in roles of
increasing responsibility and scope at Gilead Sciences, including
as Vice President and Head of Global Commercial Finance, when he
led the financial operations supporting a $20-$30 billion dollar
revenue business globally. While at Gilead, he also led business
development activities for finance for several strategic
acquisitions and supported numerous major new product launches in
financial and commercial operations capacities. Prior to Gilead,
Mr. Shantharam served in various roles of increasing responsibility
driving forecasting, commercial analytics and business development
at Amgen. Mr. Shantharam holds an MBA in finance from UCLA Anderson
School of Management and a graduate degree in Industrial
Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is also a
CFA charter holder.
Barbara Klencke, M.D.Dr. Klencke has over 30
years of experience in patient care, academic and scientific
research and clinical drug development in hematology and oncology.
She has deep R&D expertise and has made significant
contributions to the development, approval and commercialization of
numerous oncology products through various executive leadership
roles at a range of small, mid-sized and large biotech companies
including Sierra Oncology (acquired by GlaxoSmithKline for $1.9
billion), Onyx Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Amgen for $10.4
billion) and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. Prior to
entering the biotechnology industry, Dr. Klencke served as an
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology
and Oncology, at the University of California, San Francisco, where
she previously completed her training in hematology, oncology and
internal medicine. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from
Indiana University and an M.D. from the University of California,
Davis. In addition to ALX Oncology, Dr. Klencke is an independent
board director of Xencor, TScan Therapeutics and Immune-Onc
Therapeutics.
Chris H. Takimoto, M.D., Ph.D., FACP Dr.
Takimoto has over 30 years of experience in oncology and
pharmacology through a distinguished career across academia,
industry and public service. As a cancer researcher and drug
developer, he has spearheaded the clinical development of numerous
oncology products. Currently, Dr. Takimoto serves as Global Chief
Medical Officer at the START Center for Cancer Research.
Previously, he served as Chief Medical Officer at IGM Biosciences
and Forty Seven through its acquisition by Gilead for $4.9 billion,
and as Senior Vice President of Oncology at Gilead Sciences. Prior
to that, he held roles of increasing responsibility in oncology
drug development at Janssen/Johnson & Johnson. Dr. Takimoto was
also an independent board director for Tizona Therapeutics. He has
held academic positions at the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio, the National Cancer Institute and the
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and he has
served as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service.
Dr. Takimoto completed his internship and residency in internal
medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and a
fellowship in oncology at the National Cancer Institute. He
received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Stanford
University, a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Yale University and an
M.D. from Yale University School of Medicine.
About ALX OncologyALX Oncology (Nasdaq: ALXO)
is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing therapies that
boost the immune system to treat cancer and extend patients’ lives.
ALX Oncology’s lead therapeutic candidate, evorpacept, has
demonstrated potential to serve as a cornerstone therapy upon which
the future of immuno-oncology can be built. Evorpacept is currently
being evaluated across multiple ongoing clinical trials in a wide
range of cancer indications. More information is available at
www.alxoncology.com and on LinkedIn @ALX Oncology.
Cautionary note regarding forward-looking
statementsThis press release contains forward-looking
statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties.
Forward-looking statements include statements regarding future
results of operations and financial position, business strategy,
product candidates, planned preclinical studies and clinical
trials, results of clinical trials, research and development costs,
regulatory approvals, timing and likelihood of success, plans and
objects of management for future operations, as well as statements
regarding industry trends. Such forward-looking statements are
based on ALX Oncology’s beliefs and assumptions and on information
currently available to it on the date of this press release.
Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause ALX Oncology’s
actual results, performance or achievements to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. These and other risks are described more fully in ALX
Oncology’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC), including ALX Oncology’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K,
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents ALX Oncology
files with the SEC from time to time. Except to the extent required
by law, ALX Oncology undertakes no obligation to update such
statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist
after the date on which they were made.
Company Contact: Allison Dillon, Chief Business
Officer, ALX Oncology ir@alxoncology.com
Media Contact: Audra Friis, Sam Brown,
Inc.audrafriis@sambrown.com(917) 519-9577
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