EDINBURGH and CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Oct. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Macomics Ltd, a leader in macrophage drug discovery, announces that it has appointed Kevin Lee Ph.D., MBA as Independent Non-Executive Director.

Based in the UK and CEO of Cambridge, UK/Cambridge, US based, Bicycle Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BCYC), Kevin brings two decades of biotech and pharma experience to Macomics. In addition to his seat on Bicycle’s board of directors, he is also a non-executive director of Alchemab Therapeutics Ltd.

Kevin has led Bicycle Therapeutics since 2015, steering it through its strategic growth including various collaborations and financings including through its listing on NASDAQ in 2019. He joined Bicycle from Pfizer, where he served as senior vice president and CSO of the Rare Disease Research Unit. In that role, he held responsibility for more than 20 novel programs across the full spectrum of research and development, established Pfizer’s rare disease strategy, conceptualized and implemented the company’s gene therapy strategy with the creation of the Genetic Medicine Institute and founded the Rare Disease Research Consortium. Prior to joining Pfizer, Kevin worked at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and, in addition to leading the formation of multiple strategic commercial and academic partnerships, he led epigenetics research and was responsible for the creation of the EpiNova Discovery Performance Unit. Before joining GSK, he lectured at Warwick University Medical School and founded Cambridge Biotechnology (acquired by Biovitrum) and Neurosolutions.

Kevin studied pharmaceutical sciences at Nottingham University, followed by a Ph.D. in pharmacology at Cambridge University. He undertook postdoctoral training as a Wellcome Trust International Prize Fellow before joining the Parke Davis Research Unit in Cambridge, U.K. An author on over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications, he has an MBA from Warwick Business School and has been awarded an honorary Chair in Molecular Pharmacology from the University of Warwick.

Macomics is exploiting the potential of macrophage-targeted approaches to develop first-in-class medicines to address disease of high unmet medical need. The company’s ENIGMAC macrophage drug discovery platform allows access to previously hidden disease specific macrophage targets: it integrates large volume human data sets, next generation human macrophage cell models, and proprietary macrophage genome editing capability to discover novel targets, unlock new disease biology, and de-risk clinical translation. Macrophages are key to multiple diseases of high unmet medical need, including as key mediators of solid tumour immunosuppression and pathological inflammation in chronic inflammatory disorders.

Kevin Lee, Macomics Board Director, said, “Macomics is shaping up as an exciting emerging UK biotech with a powerful macrophage platform and drug discovery approach that is already demonstrating its potential to identify commercially exciting targets and validate antibody drug candidates. The company is at an exciting stage of its development, and I look forward to working with the Board and the Macomics team to help it deliver on its potential.”

Stephen Myatt, CEO of Macomics, said, “I am delighted to welcome Kevin to our Board. His experience in building Bicycle Therapeutics and previously in his pharma roles will be extremely valuable in helping us to exploit our platform and advance our portfolio towards clinical development. I look forward to work closely with Kevin to bring next generation macrophage targeting therapeutics to cancer patients.”

About Macomics – www.macomics.com

Macomics Ltd is a macrophage drug discovery company with a world-leading macrophage drug discovery platform, developing first-in-class medicines to deliver transformational impact for patients with macrophage-driven diseases: macrophages are key to multiple diseases of high unmet medical need, including as key mediators of solid tumour immunosuppression and pathological inflammation in chronic inflammatory disorders.

The company is progressing a diversified portfolio of therapies targeting disease specific macrophages towards the clinic. Its ENIGMAC macrophage drug discovery platform enables identification and validation of novel macrophage therapeutic targets and provides a translationally relevant path to clinic through the development of more physiologically relevant human macrophage models combined with proprietary gene editing technology.

The company was co-founded in 2020 by Prof. Jeffrey Pollard and Dr. Luca Cassetta, University of Edinburgh, internationally recognised leaders in macrophage biology. It has R&D and office facilities in Edinburgh and Cambridge, UK. The company’s financing was led by Epidarex Capital and the company is backed by Scottish Enterprise, LifeLink Ventures and Caribou Property Limited.

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For further information please contact:

Macomics

At the Company - Steve Myatt, CEO, Macomics E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Media enquiries (for Macomics) - Sue Charles, Charles Consultants T: +44 (0)7968 726585 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.