Kleo Pharmaceuticals Elects CEO Doug Manion, MD, FCRP (C), New Chairman of the Board

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Feb. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kleo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an immuno-oncology company developing next-generation, fully synthetic bispecific compounds designed to emulate or enhance the activity of biologics, announced today the appointment of CEO Doug Manion, MD, FCRP (C), to Chairman of the Board. He will replace Thomas J. Lynch, Jr., MD, the former Chief Scientific Officer of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS), who was recently appointed president and director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Tom will vacate his directorship with Kleo, but will remain a consultant to the company.

“We believe the Hutch made a fantastic selection in choosing Tom to guide its highly-respected institution,” said Doug Manion. “Tom has been a nationally recognized leader in academic medicine for more than three decades. We are happy for Tom and wish him the best in his new role. I am honored to bring Kleo forward as Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO. We have exciting work ahead in the clinic to demonstrate proof-of-concept with our CD38-based antibody recruiting molecule in patients with multiple myeloma.”

“I want to congratulate Doug on his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kleo Pharmaceuticals, especially as the company just announced earlier this month that it received IND authorization from FDA to proceed in its multiple myeloma therapeutic trial,” said Dr. Lynch. “Given his immunoscience experience and previous leadership roles, Doug is uniquely qualified to lead Kleo into its development and, ultimately, commercialization stage. I am very impressed with Kleo’s science and the impact it may have on improving the lives of people with cancer. I am honored to continue to be involved with the Kleo team as a consultant as I move on to the next chapter of my career at the Hutch.”

Dr. Manion joined Kleo as CEO in 2017 to advance Kleo’s novel technology platform in immuno-oncology. Previously Dr. Manion was Senior Vice President, Head of Specialty Development and Head of Japan and China R&D at Bristol-Myers Squib. Since joining BMS in 2005, he held leadership roles overseeing various therapeutic areas, including virology, immunoscience, neurology, cardiology, metabolic diseases, genetically-defined diseases and fibrosis. From 2001 to 2005, he was Vice President of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs for HIV/AIDS at GlaxoSmithKline. He started his career at DuPont Pharmaceuticals in 1997. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and completed his Fellowship in Infectious Diseases in Ottawa, Canada. He received a clinical and bench research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Doug also serves on the Board of Directors of Celleron Therapeutics.

About Kleo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Kleo Pharmaceuticals is a unique immuno-oncology company developing next-generation bispecific compounds designed to emulate or enhance the activity of biologics based on the groundbreaking research of its scientific founder Dr. David Spiegel at Yale University. Similar to complex biologic drugs, Kleo’s compounds recruit the immune system to destroy cancer cells, with the advantage of being smaller and more versatile, leading to potentially improved safety and efficacy over biologics. They are also much faster and more efficient to design and produce, particularly against novel targets. Kleo is advancing several drug candidates based on its proprietary technology platforms, all of which are modular in design and enable rapid generation of novel immunotherapies that can be optimized against certain cancers, or enhance the properties of existing immunotherapies. These include Antibody Recruiting Molecules (ARMs), Synthetic Antibody Mimics (SyAMs) and Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Enhancers (MATEs). Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company (NYSE: BHVN) and PeptiDream Inc. (Nikkei: PPTDF) are investors in Kleo Pharmaceuticals. For more information visit http://kleopharmaceuticals.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company’s plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements. The use of certain words, including the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “will,” “plan,” “could,” “may” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
Maureen McEnroe, CFA (Investors)
212-375-2664
mmcenroe@tiberend.com

Ingrid Mezo (Media)
646-604-5150
imezo@tiberend.com

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SOURCE Kleo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.