Verastem Oncology

Aprea Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Nadeem Q. Mirza, M.D., M.P.H. as Chief Medical Officer and Reports Inducement Grants under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 2, 2024
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as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the Company, effective May 1, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the Company, effective May 1, 2024.
  • "Aprea is at a critical point of enriching and expanding its clinical programs.
  • Dr. Mirza has already made significant contributions to Aprea and we welcome him formally as our CMO, strengthening our growing senior management team,” said Dr. Oren Gilad, President and CEO of Aprea.
  • The RSUs were granted outside of the Plan as a material inducement to Dr. Mirza accepting the Company’s offer of employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Verastem Oncology Announces Appointment of John Hayslip, M.D., to Chief Medical Officer

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024
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Verastem Oncology (Nasdaq: VSTM), a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new medicines for patients with cancer, today announced the appointment of John Hayslip, M.D., an accomplished oncologist with deep clinical research, development, and commercialization experience, to chief medical officer where he will lead the Company’s clinical and medical strategy.

Key Points: 
  • Verastem Oncology (Nasdaq: VSTM), a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new medicines for patients with cancer, today announced the appointment of John Hayslip, M.D., an accomplished oncologist with deep clinical research, development, and commercialization experience, to chief medical officer where he will lead the Company’s clinical and medical strategy.
  • “John is a recognized leader in oncology with broad expertise across cancer research and development, business development and organizational leadership, and we welcome him to the Verastem team,” said Dan Paterson, president and chief executive officer of Verastem Oncology.
  • Dr. Hayslip received his medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University and a master’s degree in clinical research from the Medical University of South Carolina.
  • Following his residency in internal medicine, Dr. Hayslip completed his fellowship in hematology-oncology at the Medical University of South Carolina, leading to dual board certifications in both hematology and medical oncology.

MPM BioImpact Appoints Frank Neumann, M.D., Ph.D., Distinguished Expert in Clinical Development, as Entrepreneur Partner

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 11, 2024
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In addition, Dr. Neumann will join MPM BioImpact portfolio company Orna Therapeutics as Chief Medical Officer.

Key Points: 
  • In addition, Dr. Neumann will join MPM BioImpact portfolio company Orna Therapeutics as Chief Medical Officer.
  • "Frank is an innovator and distinguished leader with a demonstrated history of success in CAR-based cell therapy and clinical advancement," said Ansbert Gadicke, M.D., Managing Partner of MPM BioImpact.
  • Dr. Neumann's deep clinical experience will serve to support MPM BioImpact's investment process and the advancement of its underlying portfolio companies.
  • "I'm thrilled to join the MPM BioImpact ecosystem and contribute to its patient-focused mission," said Dr. Neumann.

Orna Therapeutics Appoints Frank Neumann, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Medical Officer

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 11, 2024
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WATERTOWN, Mass., April 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Orna Therapeutics, a biotechnology company dedicated to designing and delivering a new class of fully engineered circular RNA therapeutics (oRNA®), today announced that Frank Neumann, M.D., Ph.D., will join the Company as Chief Medical Officer. In addition, Dr. Neumann will join MPM BioImpact, which built and led the launch of Orna, as an Entrepreneur Partner.

Key Points: 
  • WATERTOWN, Mass., April 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Orna Therapeutics, a biotechnology company dedicated to designing and delivering a new class of fully engineered circular RNA therapeutics (oRNA®), today announced that Frank Neumann, M.D., Ph.D., will join the Company as Chief Medical Officer.
  • In addition, Dr. Neumann will join MPM BioImpact, which built and led the launch of Orna, as an Entrepreneur Partner.
  • "We are delighted to welcome Frank, an accomplished leader with a proven track record in CAR-based cell therapy and clinical development," said Tom Barnes, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Orna Therapeutics.
  • "Orna's truly innovative approach to RNA therapeutics shows incredible promise to fundamentally change the way life-threatening diseases are treated," said Dr. Neumann.

Verastem Oncology Announces Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 4, 2024
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Verastem Oncology (Nasdaq: VSTM), a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new medicines for patients with cancer, today announced the grant of stock options to purchase 35,000 shares of its common stock to four new employees.

Key Points: 
  • Verastem Oncology (Nasdaq: VSTM), a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new medicines for patients with cancer, today announced the grant of stock options to purchase 35,000 shares of its common stock to four new employees.
  • The awards were granted pursuant to the Nasdaq inducement grant exception as an inducement material to the employees’ acceptance of employment with Verastem Oncology in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
  • The stock options have an exercise price equal to $11.73 per share, the closing price of Verastem Oncology’s common stock as reported by Nasdaq on April 1, 2024.
  • The stock options to purchase 35,000 shares of common stock that were granted to the four new employees will vest at a rate of twenty-five percent (25%) on the one-year anniversary of each employee’s date of hire, with the remaining shares vesting quarterly over the next three (3) years in equal quarterly amounts, provided the employee continues to serve as an employee of or other service provider to Verastem Oncology on each such vesting date.

Global Patient Survey Results Reveal Significant Negative Impact on Social, Emotional and Mental Well-Being for People Living with Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 18, 2024
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The results reveal a significant negative impact of LGSOC on respondents’ mental and physical health, worry and anxiety about cancer recurrence, side effects from treatment, and disruption to aspects of daily life such as relationships, family, work, and finances.

Key Points: 
  • The results reveal a significant negative impact of LGSOC on respondents’ mental and physical health, worry and anxiety about cancer recurrence, side effects from treatment, and disruption to aspects of daily life such as relationships, family, work, and finances.
  • Other impacts that were noted by survey respondents include, negative effects on their mental health (73%), physical health (80%), overall quality of life (73%), finances (54%) and primary relationships (46%).
  • What is often not understood is that standard-of-care chemotherapies are minimally effective and often accompanied by severe side effects.
  • 68% of respondents reported a negative impact on their jobs or careers, with 52% missing work to manage their cancer and 23% having to cut back on necessities to afford treatment.

Verastem Oncology Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results and Highlights Recent Business Updates

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 14, 2024
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Verastem Oncology ended the fourth quarter of 2023 with cash, cash equivalents and investments of $137.1 million.

Key Points: 
  • Verastem Oncology ended the fourth quarter of 2023 with cash, cash equivalents and investments of $137.1 million.
  • Research & development expenses for the 2023 Quarter were $22.5 million, compared to $10.7 million for the 2022 Quarter.
  • Selling, general & administrative expenses for the 2023 Quarter were $8.6 million, compared to $6.1 million for the 2022 Quarter.
  • These non-GAAP financial measures exclude certain amounts or expenses from the corresponding financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP.

Verastem Oncology Announces Multiple Oral Presentations at SGO 2024 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer that Highlight Advances in Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Research and Reinforce Commitment to Addressing Urgent Unmet Needs

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 11, 2024
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Verastem will have an exhibition booth (#420) at the meeting to provide an overview of its ongoing cancer research.

Key Points: 
  • Verastem will have an exhibition booth (#420) at the meeting to provide an overview of its ongoing cancer research.
  • “In addition, the plenary oral presentation highlighting preclinical efficacy of avutometinib in combination with a FAK inhibitor reinforces the potential of this combination in low-grade serous ovarian cancer regardless of KRAS status.
  • Banerjee and Grisham are paid consultants for Verastem Oncology.
  • The multinational survey is supported by Verastem Oncology.

Verastem Oncology Receives Orphan Drug Designation from FDA for Avutometinib Alone or in Combination With Defactinib in Recurrent Low-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
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“The FDA Orphan Drug Designation for avutometinib alone or in combination with defactinib in low-grade serous ovarian cancer is an important step in recognizing this rare cancer as a distinct disease that currently has no FDA-approved treatments,” said Dan Paterson, president and chief executive officer of Verastem Oncology.

Key Points: 
  • “The FDA Orphan Drug Designation for avutometinib alone or in combination with defactinib in low-grade serous ovarian cancer is an important step in recognizing this rare cancer as a distinct disease that currently has no FDA-approved treatments,” said Dan Paterson, president and chief executive officer of Verastem Oncology.
  • “We are rapidly advancing the development program for avutometinib and defactinib in low-grade serous ovarian cancer with our ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial to deliver this new combination treatment to patients as quickly as possible.
  • LGSOC is a highly recurrent, chemotherapy-resistant cancer, associated with slow tumor growth and high mortality rate.
  • While chemotherapy is the standard of care for this disease, there are no treatments specifically approved by the FDA to treat LGSOC.

Verastem Oncology Announces Preclinical Presentations for New Oral G12D Inhibitor and for Avutometinib and Defactinib Combination as a Backbone of Therapy for RAS/MAPK Driven Cancers at AACR Annual Meeting 2024

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
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The presentations will highlight anti-tumor efficacy of GFH375 (VS-7375), a potent and selective orally bioavailable KRAS G12D (ON/OFF) inhibitor, and will also show data of RAF/MEK clamp plus FAK inhibition in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) models supporting the ongoing RAMP 205 trial.

Key Points: 
  • The presentations will highlight anti-tumor efficacy of GFH375 (VS-7375), a potent and selective orally bioavailable KRAS G12D (ON/OFF) inhibitor, and will also show data of RAF/MEK clamp plus FAK inhibition in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) models supporting the ongoing RAMP 205 trial.
  • Additional presentations will support the use of avutometinib and FAK inhibitor combination in cutaneous melanoma models to overcome resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibitors, resistance to immunotherapy, and brain metastasis.
  • “For the first time, GenFleet and Verastem will present potency, selectivity, anti-tumor efficacy, and bioavailability data on GFH375 (VS-7375), a potential best-in-class orally active KRAS G12D (ON/OFF) inhibitor.
  • We look forward to an IND submission by GenFleet in China in H1 2024,” said Jonathan Pachter, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Verastem Oncology.