SAN DIEGO, Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing selective translation regulators for the treatment of cancer, today announced that Jeremy Barton, M.D., has joined eFFECTOR as chief medical officer. Dr. Barton brings a long and successful track record in oncology drug development to eFFECTOR, having held leadership positions at large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies including Pfizer, Biogen Idec and Glaxo Wellcome.
“Jeremy’s in-depth knowledge regarding the development of oncology therapeutics across all phases and multiple cancer types will be extremely useful as we expand our human clinical trials of eFT508 for solid tumor and lymphoma indications,” said Steve Worland, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of eFFECTOR. “We look forward to the impact his impressive skillset will have driving the development of our pipeline.”
Dr. Barton joins eFFECTOR from Pfizer Inc., where he served as the vice president and head of oncology early development and clinical research. In this role he led teams of medical doctors, scientists and statisticians responsible for clinical development of the early oncology portfolio. Dr. Barton also served as chair of the Oncology Technical Review Committee and co-chair of the Oncology Research Strategic Review Board at Pfizer. Previously, Dr. Barton served as the vice president and chief medical officer, oncology at Biogen Idec and senior medical director at Seattle Genetics, where he led development of monoclonal antibody therapeutics including Adcetris®, an antibody-drug conjugate subsequently approved by the US FDA. Dr. Barton has privately consulted for a number of biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and has directed oncology drug R&D efforts at Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Elan Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Barton earned his medical degree from University College Hospital Medical School, London and a masters in physiological sciences from Oxford University. He has the European equivalent of board certifications in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology.
“It’s not often that one has the opportunity to work on a completely new therapeutic approach to oncology, and I am excited to be joining the eFFECTOR team to lead the development of novel translation regulators to treat cancer,” said Dr. Barton. “As we prepare to advance eFT508 into expansion cohorts, I’m eager to leverage my expertise to refine and optimize the clinical program and help EFT508 reach its full potential.”
About eFFECTOR Therapeutics
eFFECTOR Therapeutics is pioneering the discovery and development of selective translation regulators as a new class of small molecule therapeutics for cancer. The company’s investigational compounds are designed to restore translational control to halt underlying disease mechanisms while preserving healthy physiological processes. eFFECTOR’s most advanced program focuses on the development of eFT508, an orally bioavailable, potent and highly selective inhibitor of MNK1 and MNK2 kinases. MNK1 and MNK2 integrate signals from several oncogenic and immune signaling pathways at the level of translational regulation. In preclinical models of cancer, eFT508 treatment triggers anti-tumor immunity as a monotherapy and synergizes with immune checkpoint inhibitors. eFT508 is currently undergoing phase I clinical testing in patients with advanced solid tumors. The company has additional translation regulation programs currently in discovery and expects to advance its second development candidate into IND-enabling studies in early 2017. eFFECTOR has raised $112M in private financing from top-tier private and corporate venture funds, including U.S. Venture Partners, Abingworth, Novartis Venture Funds, SR One, The Column Group, Altitude Life Sciences and Sectoral Asset Management. For more information visit www.effector.com
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SOURCE eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Inc.
