Tango Therapeutics Expands Board of Directors with the Addition of Leading Oncology Experts with Deep Experience in Targeted and Personalized Therapies

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Tango Therapeutics, a biotechnology company creating novel, targeted medicines for specific cancer subtypes, today announced the addition of three experienced leaders with deep backgrounds in personalized cancer research, drug discovery and development to the board of directors.

Joining the board are Michael Pellini, M.D., MBA, chairman of Foundation Medicine and managing partner at Section 32; Allen Oliff, M.D., an oncologist and senior vice president in research and development at GlaxoSmithKline; and Pablo Cagnoni, M.D., the president and chief executive officer of Tizona Therapeutics. All are leading experts in oncology R&D.

“We are proud to bring in three leaders with extensive experience in cancer research and development and an unwavering commitment to bringing transformative, targeted medicines to patients,” said Barbara Weber, M.D., Tango’s chief executive officer. “Their expertise, insights and commitment to this field will help Tango immensely as we create a new generation of breakthrough cancer therapies.”

Michael Pellini, M.D., MBA, joined Foundation Medicine as president and chief executive in 2011 and transitioned to chairman last year. In addition to his role at Foundation Medicine, Dr. Pellini is managing partner of Section 32, a California-based technology and life sciences venture fund (Section 32 is not a Tango investor). Dr. Pellini joined Foundation Medicine from Clarient, Inc., which was acquired by GE Healthcare in 2010, where he was president, chief operating officer and served on its board of directors. A physician with over 20 years of experience at the forefront of the clinical diagnostics and laboratory industries, Dr. Pellini brings a depth of understanding of personalized medicine, with a particular interest and focus in oncology. He serves as a member of the board of directors for the Personalized Medicine Coalition and the Mission Hospital Foundation (Provident/St. Joseph Health), as well as several biotechnology companies. He is also a member of the President’s Leadership Council for the Sydney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and the Advisory Board for Mission Hospital’s Cancer Institute.

Allen Oliff, M.D., brings over three decades of experience in oncology R&D to the Tango Board of Directors. He has held numerous leadership positions at GSK and has led the development of seven marketed products and two other agents in late-stage development, including the portfolio of oncology drugs acquired by Novartis in 2015. Before joining GSK, Dr. Oliff held leadership positions at DuPont Pharmaceuticals and Merck and Co., where he was executive director of cancer research. Earlier in his career, as an oncology researcher, he authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications on the molecular pathogenesis of cancer, with a focus on RNA tumor viruses, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

Pablo Cagnoni, M.D., brings three decades of experience in developing and commercializing life-changing medicines for cancer patients. He has played a key role in bringing numerous oncology drugs to market, including Tarceva, Afinitor, Kyprolis and Zykadia, among many others. Dr. Cagnoni currently serves as president and CEO of Tizona Therapeutics. He previously served as president of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, where he had global strategic oversight of the business from early product development through commercialization. Prior to moving to Onyx, Dr. Cagnoni served as senior vice president and global head of clinical development at Novartis Oncology, where he was responsible for all late-stage clinical development for the oncology pipeline.

Tango Therapeutics, a 2017 “Fierce 15” company, is a biotechnology company developing novel therapies targeting context-dependent vulnerabilities in cancers. Tango’s robust product engine is designed to support the discovery and development of breakthrough medicines that provide deeper, more sustained benefit than today’s targeted therapies, and that extend the benefits of available immuno-oncology agents. The company’s programs are focused in the area of synthetic lethality, the interaction between two genes that causes cell death when both are inactivated. Tango was launched in 2017 with a $55 million Series A investment funded by Third Rock Ventures. For more information, please visit www.tangotx.com.