– NETHERLANDS, Utrecht – LAVA Therapeutics B.V., an early clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on applying its expertise in bispecific gamma-delta T cell engagers to transform cancer therapy, today announced the appointment of Dr. Kapil Dhingra as chairman of its Board of Directors.
Dr. Dhingra has more than 30 years of experience in oncology clinical research and drug development within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as a Board member at several successful oncology biotechnology companies, and as a clinician at academic research centers.
“We are delighted to have Dr. Dhingra join our Board as chairman at this moment in our company’s journey,” said CEO, Stephen Hurly. “In the coming year we expect two LAVA programs to enter Phase 1/2a studies in solid and hematologic malignancies. Dr. Dhingra’s deep expertise in cancer drug development and impressive track record of building successful oncology biotechnology companies will have an immediate and beneficial impact on our strategy and mission to bring our first-in-class cancer drugs to patients.”
Mr. Hurly added, “We look forward to benefiting from Dr. Dhingra’s expertise as we expand our preclinical pipeline. Our platform’s modularity enables rapid discovery and development of novel candidates, and Dr. Dhingra’s experience in translational medicine will provide important insights as we select high-value, innovative targets. I also want to thank Erik van den Berg for serving as chairman of LAVA’s Board of Directors since our founding. During his tenure, LAVA raised over $100M in capital from leading life science VCs which provides a solid foundation for the company’s continued growth.”
“I am excited to welcome Dr. Dhingra to the LAVA Board of Directors. His experience will be extremely valuable to LAVA as it transitions to become a clinical-stage company this year,” said former Board Chairman, Erik van den Berg.
About Dr. Kapil Dhingra
Dr. Dhingra is a medical oncologist and a physician-scientist with a proven track record in academic research, patient care, and drug development. He served as VP, Head of the Oncology Disease Biology Leadership Team, and Head of Oncology Clinical Development at Hoffmann-La Roche, during which he led numerous drug approvals, including Herceptin, Tarceva, and Avastin. Before joining Roche, he worked in the oncology clinical development group at Eli Lilly and Company.
Dr. Dhingra has served as a faculty member at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Dhingra is currently a member of the Boards of Directors of Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc., Replimune, Inc., Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc., Autolus Therapeutics plc, and Median Technologies, and he has previously served on the boards of several successful biotech companies, including Biovex, Micromet, Algeta, YM Biosciences, Epitherapeutics, Advanced Accelerator Applications, and Exosome Diagnostics. He is a member of the NCI Experimental Therapeutics Panel. Dr. Dhingra founded KAPital Consulting, LLC in 2008, a company dedicated to helping biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic companies realize the clinical and commercial advances in oncology.
“LAVA’s novel T cell engager platform, which harnesses the unique attributes of gamma-delta T cells, has the potential to change the standard of care for many high unmet need cancer patient populations,” said Dr. Dhingra. “I look forward to working with the LAVA board and management team. I also want to thank Erik van den Berg for his leadership of LAVA’s Board. He has been instrumental in growing LAVA into a company with two drug candidates poised to enter the clinic within a year.”
Dr. Dhingra obtained his M.B.B.S. degree from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, New York Medical College, and completed his fellowship in hematology and oncology at Emory University School of Medicine.
About LAVA
LAVA Therapeutics B.V. is developing a portfolio of bispecific gamma-delta T cell engagers for the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies based on its proprietary platform. The company’s innovative approach leverages bispecific antibodies to activate Vγ9Vδ2 T cells upon binding to membrane-expressed tumor-associated antigens. Activated Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are engaged for direct, selective tumor cell killing. The company’s lead program, LAVA-051, is expected to enter a Phase 1/2a clinical study in hematologic malignancies in the first half of 2021. The company has established a highly experienced research and development team located in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and Philadelphia, USA.
For more information: http://www.lavatherapeutics.com/
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