CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and NEW YORK, June 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BDTX), a clinical-stage precision oncology medicine company developing MasterKey therapies designed to overcome limitations of existing therapies by targeting families of oncogenic driver mutations in patients with genetically defined cancers, today announced the promotion of Melanie Morrison from Senior Vice President, Development Operations to Chief Development Officer. As Chief Development Officer, Ms. Morrison leads the Company’s clinical operations, program management and program leadership functions, and regulatory affairs.

“Since joining the Company in 2022 as Senior Vice President, Development Operations, Melanie has demonstrated exceptional leadership and has played a critical role in advancing our clinical programs by leveraging her expertise in clinical-stage oncology development, operations and regulatory affairs. She has played an integral part in our Phase 1 trial for BDTX-1535 in non-small cell lung cancer and glioblastoma and I am extremely pleased to announce her well-deserved promotion to Chief Development Officer. I look forward to continuing to work with her alongside the rest of the executive leadership team as we move towards the initial clinical data update from the Phase 1 trial of BDTX-1535,” said David M. Epstein, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Black Diamond Therapeutics. 

“The passion of the Black Diamond team is evidenced by their commitment to driving novel MasterKey inhibitors into the clinic for patients who are in serious need of new treatment options. I am excited to continue supporting the Company’s mission in this new role, as we work to overcome the limitations of existing therapies and fulfill the promise of precision oncology,” said Ms. Morrison.

Ms. Morrison joined Black Diamond in October 2022 with over two decades of experience in clinical operations, program management, product leadership and other key development functions in addition to driving corporate transitions from early to late-stage development at several biopharmaceutical companies. Prior to Black Diamond, Ms. Morrison was Senior Vice President, Program Management and Clinical Operations at Nuvation Bio, a clinical-stage oncology company, where she built and oversaw multiple groups within the development organization in support of Nuvation Bio’s pipeline. Previously she held program and clinical operations leadership roles at Aduro Biotech, Immune Design, and Medivation, where, prior to its acquisition by Pfizer, she was Vice President, Clinical Operations. Earlier in her career, Ms. Morrison held roles of increasing responsibility within the clinical operations and project management teams at Genentech focused on its oncology pipeline. She holds a Master of Science in Health Sciences from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and a Bachelor of Science from University of California, Davis.

About Black Diamond

Black Diamond Therapeutics is a clinical-stage precision oncology medicine company focused on the development of MasterKey therapies that target families of oncogenic mutations in clinically validated targets. Black Diamond leverages a deep understanding of cancer genetics and onco-protein structure and function, to discover and develop innovative MasterKey therapies. The Company’s MasterKey therapies are designed to overcome resistance, minimize on-target, wild-type mediated toxicities, and be brain-penetrant to address significant unmet medical needs of patients with genetically defined cancers. The Company is advancing a robust pipeline with lead clinical-stage program BDTX-1535, targeting MasterKey mutations in both EGFR mutant-positive NSCLC and in GBM, and BDTX-4933, a program targeting RAF MasterKey mutations in solid tumors, as well as discovery-stage research programs. The Company’s proprietary MAP drug discovery engine is designed to allow Black Diamond to analyze population-level genetic sequencing tumor data and validate MasterKey mutations. For more information, please visit www.blackdiamondtherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the continued development and advancement of BDTX-1535 and the Company’s other development programs, including the ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of BDTX-1535 and the expected timing for data updates for BDTX-1535. Any forward-looking statements in this statement are based on management’s current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include those risks and uncertainties set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and in its subsequent filings filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Contact:
Julie Seidel, Stern Investor Relations
(212) 362-1200
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