-- Dr. Ashworth Brings Decades of Scientific and Clinical Experience Translating Synthetic Lethality Discoveries into Precision Cancer Therapies --
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leapfrog Bio, a clinical-stage precision oncology company dedicated to discovering and developing novel targeted therapies for cancers caused by loss-of-function (LOF) mutations, today announced the appointment of Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., FRS, to Chair the company’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Ashworth is a world-renowned expert in cancer research and a global leader in cancer therapy development. He played a key role in the identification of the BRCA2 gene and helped establish the role of BRCA2 in DNA repair and homologous recombination, biology that unlocked PARP inhibition as a therapeutic strategy. His lab’s discovery of the synthetic lethality relationship between BRCA1/2 and PARP inhibitors guided the development of olaparib, the first approved genetically targeted PARP inhibitor and a landmark clinical validation of the synthetic lethality approach. Over decades, Dr. Ashworth has contributed to numerous programs focused on translating synthetic lethality relationships into transformative cancer medicines.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Ashworth to our Scientific Advisory Board,” said Tomas Babak, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Leapfrog Bio. “Few scientists have shaped the clinical application of synthetic lethality as profoundly or demonstrated such a clear understanding of what it takes to translate biology into patient benefit. From discovering the BRCA–PARP synthetic lethality that made PARP inhibitors successful, to leading major cancer centers and building therapeutics companies, Alan has tremendously valuable experience that will help guide our own development programs. As was shown with PARP inhibitors, testing the pharmacological effects of the drugs in synergy with genetic perturbations is key to unlocking their potential as genetically targeted agents. Alan’s perspective strengthens our conviction that our pharmacogenetic approach will lead to compelling opportunities in the synthetic lethality arena.”
Leapfrog is applying a systematic, pharmacogenetic approach to uncovering genetically defined vulnerabilities in cancer, extending the synthetic lethality paradigm to novel high‑impact loss-of-function driven cancers. The company’s pipeline includes LFB190, a BET inhibitor to treat solid tumors driven by EP300 loss‑of‑function mutations, and LFB083, which targets cancers driven by PIK3CA mutations. Both programs were identified through Leapfrog’s proprietary OncoSLX platform.
“Our work on the synthetic lethality between BRCA mutations and PARP inhibitors has changed how we think about treating cancers driven by loss‑of‑function mutations,” said Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., FRS. “What excites me about Leapfrog Bio is the clear parallel between our early PARP work and what the company has uncovered with BET inhibition in EP300 loss-of-function–driven cancers, as well as its broader synthetic lethality work. With two highly compelling programs and a platform capable of generating many more, this is an exciting opportunity, and I’m delighted to join the Scientific Advisory Board.”
Dr. Ashworth currently serves as President of the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, San Francisco, and Senior Vice President for Cancer Clinical Services at UCSF Health. Dr. Ashworth is a board director at CytomX Therapeutics and a co‑founder of Tango Therapeutics, Azkarra, and Tiller. Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Cancer Research in London and director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Center in London, U.K. He is an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Dr. Ashworth received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from University College London, U.K., and his B.Sc. in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London, U.K.
About Leapfrog Bio
Leapfrog Bio is a clinical-stage precision oncology company accelerating cancer drug development by identifying clinical stage molecules that can be retargeted as precision therapies for cancers with particular loss-of-function (LOF) mutations. The company’s lead program, LFB190, is a Phase 2 ready, first-in-class, oral small molecule BET inhibitor for solid tumors with EP300 LOF mutations. Leapfrog Bio leverages its proprietary OncoSLX Platform to identify existing small-molecule drugs that can be developed to treat cancers driven by loss-of-function mutations with a high probability of clinical success. Leapfrog Bio is currently seed-funded by leading biotech investor Two Bear Capital. For more information, visit www.leapfrog.bio.
Investor Contact:
Max Gadicke
Precision AQ
maximilian.gadicke@precisionaq.com
