RAPT Therapeutics Strengthens Board with Addition of Veteran Biotechnology Executive Wendye Robbins, M.D.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rapt Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage immunology-based biopharmaceutical company developing oral small molecules for oncology and inflammatory diseases, today announced the addition of Wendye Robbins, M.D., president and CEO of Blade Therapeutics, Inc., to the company’s board of directors. Dr. Robbins brings 20 years of experience as an executive leading and advising innovative biotechnology companies through all stages of development.

“Wendye is an accomplished executive and board member who has guided early and clinical stage companies through successful milestones,” said Brian Wong, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of RAPT Therapeutics. “We are thrilled to attract a luminary in our field and welcome her clinical and scientific expertise and business acumen as we advance FLX475, RPT193 and our portfolio of oral small molecule therapeutics for cancer and inflammatory diseases through clinical development.”

“RAPT Therapeutics’ advancing pipeline of immunology-focused oral small molecules is potentially a promising approach to modulating the critical immune responses underlying disease, which I believe could be pivotal in the treatment landscape,” commented Dr. Robbins. “CCR4, in particular, is an intriguing target with significant potential given its role in both allergy and cancer. I’m pleased to join the board at this exciting time in the company’s evolution, with two important clinical data sets anticipated next year from FLX475 and RPT193 and an advancing discovery-stage pipeline.”

Wendye is a biopharmaceutical entrepreneur with extensive operational and team building experience. She has made a career of building companies from the ground up. She co-founded early biopharmaceutical companies NeurogesX, Inc. (sold to Acorda Therapeutics), Limerick BioPharma, Labrys Biologics (sold to TEVA 2014), and Blade Therapeutics. She has been a scientific and strategic advisor to many entrepreneurs, investors, nascent biotechs, and pharmaceutical companies. Her expertise includes small and large molecule development from discovery through translational research through the clinic.

Dr. Robbins has also served on the faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Department of Anesthesia, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine since 2004. Dr. Robbins completed her residency in Anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, her internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and received her fellowship training in Pain Medicine from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Robbins received an M.D. from The Medical College of Pennsylvania and a B.S. in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

About RAPT Therapeutics, Inc.

RAPT Therapeutics (formerly FLX Bio) is a clinical stage immunology-based biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing oral small molecule therapies for patients with significant unmet needs in oncology and inflammatory diseases. Utilizing its proprietary discovery and development engine, the company is developing highly selective small molecules designed to modulate the critical immune responses underlying these diseases. In its first four years since inception, RAPT has discovered and advanced two unique drug candidates, each targeting C-C motif chemokine receptor 4. The company’s lead oncology drug candidate, FLX475, reached the clinic in just two and a half years with its lead inflammation drug candidate, RPT193, also clinic-ready. The company is also pursuing a range of targets, including general control nonderepressible 2 and hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1, that are in the discovery stage of development.

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