HOUSTON, July 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 7 Hills Pharma, a privately-held immunotherapy company focused on development of novel tumor-targeting cell adhesion agents, today announced the appointment of Lionel D. Lewis, MB.BChir., M.D., as its chief medical officer.
“Dr. Lewis is an important addition to our team because of his considerable expertise in leading first-in-man clinical trials of multiple compounds, particularly in immuno-oncology (IO),” said Upendra Marathi, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of 7 Hills Pharma. “His experience will be important as we plan the 7HP349 clinical program. 7HP349 is a first-in-class integrin activator that improves solid tumor immune surveillance as a single agent, in addition to having synergistic activity with other IO drugs.”
Dr. Lewis is an experienced trialist that has led numerous first-in-human studies, including the combination of Yervoy™ and Opdivo™. Currently, he co-directs the Molecular Therapeutics Program at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center, and the Norris Cotton Cancer Center Early Phase Clinical Oncology group. He has served on and chaired several Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health study section panels. He has published more than 150 peer reviewed manuscripts in the field of the clinical pharmacology of anti-cancer therapeutics.
“I am both privileged and excited to join the leadership team of 7 Hills Pharma in advancing its unique drug pipeline,” said Lionel Lewis, M.D., chief medical officer of 7 Hills Pharma. “We are developing a novel class of compounds that has the potential to enhance the activity of current and future immune therapies for the treatment of solid tumors and other immune-dependent diseases.”
About 7HP349
7 Hills’ lead agent, 7HP349, is a next-generation integrin activator that has been shown in preclinical models to increase T cell adhesion by 100-fold while maintaining their ability to move and migrate. 7HP349 is a small molecule that promotes immune cell adhesion by turning on a switch that is typically dormant in tumoricidal cells in patients with non-immunogenic cancers. In doing so, 7HP349 is expected to increase trafficking, infiltration and killing of cytolytic T cells to facilitate a productive immune response against a variety of solid tumors.
About 7 Hills Pharma
7 Hills Pharma is focused on the development of novel, cost efficient and accessible immunomodulatory agents that leverage well-known integrin biology to drive and enhance essential steps in the immune cycle. The company’s lead programs are designed to improve the effectiveness of immuno-oncology therapies, including checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies, and cord blood transplantation in the treatment of cancers and genetic diseases. For more information, visit www.7hillspharma.com.
Contact:
Sylvia Wheeler
swheeler@wheelhouselsa.com