Michael Kauffman promoted to BiVictriX board chair

Cancer therapy developer BiVictriX Therapeutics announced on Friday that Dr Michael Kauffman has been appointed as its non-executive chairman.

The AIM-traded firm said Dr Kauffman was taking over from Iain Ross, who would continue as a non-executive director on its board, but was stepping down as chairman as a result of other work commitments.

“With the recent identification of our lead candidate, the transition of Michael Kauffman to non-executive chairman of the board comes at a pivotal time in BiVictriX's development,” said chief executive officer Tiffany Thorn.

“I am delighted to welcome Michael to his new role - no doubt his wealth of expertise across oncology drug development will continue to prove invaluable during the next stage of our progression.”

Before becoming non-executive chairman, BiVictriX appointed Dr Kauffman as a non-executive director in January last year.

It described him as a “highly experienced” cancer drug developer, having been “instrumental” in the approval of several oncology therapeutics over 20 years of working across preclinical research, clinical development, regulatory strategy and commercialisation.

As non-executive chairman, the board said he would draw on his previous experience as co-founder and CEO of oncology company Karyopharm Therapeutics, which he guided from a discovery-stage biotechnology company to a commercial-stage organisation, with global approvals of ‘XPOVIO’.

He also led the ‘Kyprolis’ development programme at Proteolix, and then Onyx Pharmaceuticals, the ‘Velcade’ development programme at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and held a number of senior positions at Millennium Predictive Medicine and Biogen.

Dr Kauffman currently holds other non-executive board positions at Verastem Oncology, Adicet Bio and Kezar Life Sciences.

“Having been a member of BiVictriX's board over the past year, I have witnessed the company's remarkable progress and am excited to step up to chairman at this stage of the company's development,” Dr Michael Kauffman commented.

“The ‘Bi-Cygni’ platform is designed to optimise the potential of ADCs by reducing off target-binding associated with toxicities and increasing tumour-selective killing.

“I am looking forward to BiVictriX progressing ‘BVX001’ into the clinic, where we hope to be differentiated by our delivery of key outcomes in cancer-selective therapies for the support of patients who currently have limited options.”

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.