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FLX Bio Adds Distinguished Immuno-Oncology Experts to its Scientific Advisory Board
[May 31, 2017]

FLX Bio Adds Distinguished Immuno-Oncology Experts to its Scientific Advisory Board


FLX Bio, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of oral small-molecule drugs to activate the immune system, today announced the appointment of two leading oncology experts to its scientific advisory board (SAB). Drew Pardoll, M.D., Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine and Philip Greenberg, M.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington, join Jeff Bluestone, Ph.D., David Goeddel, Ph.D., Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D., Alexander Rudensky, Ph.D. and Robert Zamboni, Ph.D., bringing the total SAB to seven key opinion leaders in immunotherapy.

"Drs. Pardoll and Greenberg have been pioneering the field of immuno-oncology for several decades, and continue to be at the forefront of discovery, bringing rich and relevant experience in immunotherapies targeting T cell discovery and development," said Brian R. Wong, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of FLX Bio. "As we prepare to enter the clinic with our lead immunotherapy, an oral small molecule targeting the CCR4 receptor on regulatory T cells, we are extremely pleased to attract the scientific experts driving this field forward to inform our cancer pipeline decisions and advancements."

Dr. Pardoll serves as the Abeloff Professor of Oncology, Medicine, Pathology and Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, director of the Bloomberg (News - Alert)-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and co-director of the Cancer Immunology Program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. He has made a number of basic advances in cellular immunology, including the discovery of gamma - delta T cells, NKT cells and interferon-producing killer dendritic cells. Over the past two decades, Dr. Pardoll has studied molecular aspects of dendritic cell biology and immun regulation, particularly related to mechanisms by which cancer cells evade elimination by the immune system. He is an inventor of numerous immunotherapies and discovered key members of several immunology pathways including one of the two PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor ligands. He received his M.D., Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins University and is an author on over 300 papers as well as over 20 book chapters regarding T cell immunology and cancer vaccines. He has served on the editorial board of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and Cancer Cell, and has served as a member of scientific advisory boards for numerous academic institutions and biotechnologies.



Dr. Greenberg serves as the head of the Program in Immunology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center as well as professor in both the Oncology and Immunology divisions of the University of Washington, Department of Medicine. Dr. Greenberg's research focuses on both basic immunology and cancer immunobiology to treat human malignancies and chronic infections, with a particular expertise in using T cells to selectively target disease. He has been elected to several honorary societies including the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the American Association of Physicians, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American College of Physicians, and has received two National Institutes of Health Method to Extend Research in Time awards as well as the International Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Team Science Award for Career Achievements and Cancer Research Institute's William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Tumor Immunology. He received his B.S. degree in Biology from Washington University and his M.D. summa cum laude from the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center.

About FLX Bio


FLX Bio, Inc. is a cancer immunotherapy company focused on the discovery and development of orally-available, small molecule drugs to activate the immune system and eradicate cancer. Using its integrated immuno-oncology drug discovery platform, FLX Bio's small molecule compounds specifically target proteins and pathways that selectively inhibit regulatory T cells and myeloid cells within the tumor microenvironment. Its lead candidate, a best-in-class CCR4 inhibitor, has the potential to be used alone or in combination with checkpoint inhibitors to treat a variety of cancers, and is expected to enter the clinic in 2017.

Located in South San Francisco, Calif., and funded by leading investors, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), The Column Group (TCG), Topspin Partners and Celgene, FLX Bio has assembled a leadership team and advisory group with a proven track record of success and team of scientists with substantial knowledge and expertise in drug discovery and translational areas essential to execute on this approach. For more information, please visit www.flxbio.com.


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