SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a leader in the field of conditionally activated, localized biologics, today announced the appointment of Yu-Waye (Wayne) Chu, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). In this role, Dr. Chu will oversee clinical development of the Company’s diversified portfolio of Probody^® therapeutic candidates.

“Wayne brings to CytomX substantial experience in clinical development strategy in the oncology space,” said Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., chief executive officer and chairman of CytomX Therapeutics. “His drug development experiences have contributed to multiple approvals and span therapeutic modalities including antibody drug conjugates, checkpoint inhibitors, and bispecific immunotherapies, making him an ideal fit to lead the development of CytomX’s robust and differentiated pipeline. Wayne joins CytomX at a moment where we are expecting to make significant clinical progress with our next generation pipeline including the continued advancement of CX-904 through Phase 1, the initial clinical strategies for our new INDs, CX-2051 and CX-801, and our ongoing efforts aimed at targeting CD71.”

“I am very pleased to be joining CytomX at a time when the pipeline is positioned to make important clinical progress across multiple programs. The Probody^® Platform and CytomX’s leadership in localized biologics has resulted in a compelling pipeline of drug candidates and a meaningful opportunity to create near- and long-term value for patients,” said Dr. Chu. “I look forward to working with the team on our shared goal of bringing new and differentiated treatments to people with cancer and advancing our leadership in the field of biologics localization.”

Dr. Chu joins CytomX with over 20 years of experience in oncology, in roles ranging from research to medicine to global clinical development. He was previously Chief Medical Officer at Fate Therapeutics, where he oversaw the company’s clinical development strategies of novel immune cell therapies for the treatment of hematologic and solid tumor malignancies. Prior to joining Fate, Wayne spent a decade at Genentech, where he assumed positions of increasing responsibility in Product Development Oncology in the development of the HER2-directed antibody drug conjugate trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla). He then joined the Early Clinical Development group in Genentech Research and Early Development in 2011 where he led the early clinical development of molecules covering multiple therapeutic platforms including antibody drug conjugates, checkpoint inhibitors, and immune cell bispecific antibodies, notably the development of polatuzumab vedotin (anti-CD79b antibody drug conjugate), tiragolumab (anti-TIGIT monoclonal antibody) and mosunetuzumab (CD20/CD3 bispecific antibody), and continued to lead the global development of mosunetuzumab in his role in Product Development Oncology at Roche/Genentech. Prior to his clinical development experience, Dr. Chu conducted his clinical training in pediatric hematology-oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the National Cancer Institute. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University and earned his M.D. with Distinction in Research from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

About CytomX Therapeutics

CytomX is a clinical-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel conditionally activated biologics localized to the tumor microenvironment. By pioneering a novel class of conditionally activated biologics, powered by its Probody^® technology platform, CytomX’s goal is to transcend the limits of current cancer treatments. CytomX’s robust and differentiated pipeline comprises therapeutic candidates across multiple treatment modalities including antibody-drug conjugates (“ADCs”), T-cell engaging bispecific antibodies (“TCBs”), and immune modulators such as cytokines and checkpoint inhibitors (“CPIs”). CX-2029 is an investigational conditionally activated antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed toward CD71. CytomX’s clinical pipeline also includes cancer immunotherapeutic candidates against validated targets such as the CTLA-4-targeting Probody therapeutic BMS-986288, partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb, as well as CX-904, a conditionally activated T-cell-engaging bispecific antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on tumor cells and the CD3 receptor on T cells, which is partnered with Amgen. In addition, CytomX has a diverse preclinical portfolio of wholly-owned assets including CX-801, an interferon alpha-2b Probody cytokine that has broad potential applicability in traditionally immuno-oncology sensitive as well as insensitive (cold) tumors and CX-2051, a conditionally activated ADC directed toward EpCAM, with potential applicability across multiple EpCAM-expressing epithelial cancers. CytomX has also established strategic collaborations with multiple leaders in oncology, including Amgen, Astellas, Bristol Myers Squibb, Regeneron and Moderna. For more information about CytomX and how it is working to make conditionally activated treatments the new standard-of-care in the fight against cancer, visit www.cytomx.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

CytomX Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control, and may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in such statements, including those related to the future potential of partnerships or collaboration agreements. Accordingly, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements, including those relating to the potential benefits, safety and efficacy or progress of CytomX’s or any of its collaborative partners’ product candidates, including CX-2029, BMS-986288, CX-904, CX-801, and CX-2051, the potential benefits or applications of CytomX’s Probody platform technology, CytomX’s ability to develop and advance product candidates into and successfully complete clinical trials, including the ongoing and planned clinical trials of BMS-986288, and CX-904, and the timing of the commencement of clinical trials, initial and ongoing data availability, and the timing of investigational new drug applications, including for CX-801 and CX-2051, and other development milestones. Risks and uncertainties that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: the unproven nature of CytomX’s novel Probody Platform technology; CytomX’s clinical trial product candidates are in the initial stages of clinical development and its other product candidates are currently in preclinical development, and the process by which preclinical and clinical development could potentially lead to an approved product is long and subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including the risk that the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic may continue to negatively impact the business, research and clinical operations of CytomX or its partners, including the development of preclinical drug candidates due to delays in and disruption of research activities and the development of clinical drug candidates due to delays in or disruption of clinical trials, including impacts on the enrollment of patients in clinical trials or other clinical trial disruptions; the possibility that the results of preclinical research and early clinical trials may not be predictive of future results; the possibility that CytomX’s clinical trials will not be successful; the possibility that current preclinical research may not result in additional product candidates; CytomX’s dependence on the success of CX-2029, BMS-986288, CX-904, CX-801, and CX-2051; CytomX’s reliance on third parties for the manufacture of the Company’s product candidates; and possible regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries. Additional applicable risks and uncertainties include those relating to our preclinical research and development, clinical development, and other risks identified under the heading "Risk Factors" included in CytomX’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 9, 2023. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on information currently available to CytomX and speak only as of the date on which they are made. CytomX does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

Probody is a U.S. registered trademark of CytomX Therapeutics, Inc.

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