SAN DIEGO, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Samumed, LLC, a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering Wnt Pathway therapeutics for major diseases, announced today that Dr. Michael White will join the company as its Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. White joins Samumed from Pfizer, where he held the position of Chief Scientific Officer for Tumor Biology.
“We are extremely excited to have such an accomplished scientist take the helm of our novel scientific platform,” commented Samumed Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Osman Kibar. “Dr. White will be integral to our continued pursuit of life-changing therapeutics for major diseases, ranging from oncology to osteoarthritis to Alzheimer’s disease.”
Dr. White has decades of R&D leadership experience in industry and academia. As Chief Scientific Officer for Tumor Biology at Pfizer, he led cross-disciplinary groups to build an oncology small-molecule pipeline focused on first-in-class therapies, culminating in numerous INDs within the past four years. Previously, Dr. White worked in top academic research positions, including Professor of Cell Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Associate Director of Basic Science for the Harold Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, and inaugural Director of the UTSW Cancer Intervention and Prevention Discovery training program.
Dr. White’s appointments include the Hortense and Morton Sanger Professorship in Oncology, the Sherry Wigley Crow Cancer Research Endowed Chair, and the Grant A. Dove Distinguished Chair for Research in Oncology. In 2015, Dr. White received the inaugural National Institute of Cancer Outstanding Investigator Award. To date, he has authored over 150 publications with over 22,000 citations.
Dr. White completed his postdoctoral research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories in New York, and he received his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
About Samumed
Samumed is developing a first-in-class, small-molecule therapeutics platform based on pioneering science of the Wnt signaling pathway. Wnt is an essential and ubiquitous biological mechanism regulating the growth and health of all organs and tissues. Wnt plays a profound role in many facets of health throughout our lives, from embryonic development through old age. Malfunctions of the Wnt pathway constitute the root cause of many serious diseases and cancers, and yet the Wnt pathway’s immense complexity has historically resisted safe and effective medicinal interventions. Samumed has developed groundbreaking Wnt biochemistry, originating in the discovery and safe modulation of novel targets, promising near-term curative therapies for major diseases.
Samumed’s drugs in clinical development include lorecivivint for osteoarthritis (in Phase 3), SM08502 for numerous cancers, and SM07883 for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. Learn more about Samumed’s diverse pipeline at https://www.samumed.com/pipeline/default.aspx.
About Lorecivivint
Lorecivivint (SM04690) is a small-molecule, CLK/DYRK1A inhibitor that modulates the Wnt pathway. Formulated as an intraarticular injection, lorecivivint is in Phase 3 studies as a potential disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug. Data demonstrate that lorecivivint protects and regenerates cartilage while significantly and durably improving pain and function. Additional information on Samumed’s Osteoarthritis program can be found at: https://www.samumed.com/pipeline/detail.aspx?id=20.
About SM08502
SM08502, an oral, small-molecule, pan-CLK inhibitor in Phase 1 development, modulates the Wnt signaling pathway and exhibits multiple mechanisms-of-action to treat numerous solid and hematological tumors. One of the primary mechanisms of SM08502 is the inhibition of CDC-like kinases (CLKs), which in turn attenuates the expression of genes that promote the proliferation of tumor cells. For more information about Samumed’s Oncology program, visit: https://www.samumed.com/pipeline/detail.aspx?id=17
About SM07883
SM07883 is an oral, small-molecule, dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) inhibitor in Phase 1 development as a therapy for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Clinical data show that SM07883 successfully crosses the blood-brain barrier and maintains its biological activity in the cerebrospinal fluid. Further, preclinical studies indicate that SM07883 reduces tau and amyloid pathology, as well as neuroinflammation, and shows significant beneficial effects on key symptoms of AD, including memory, motor control and agitation. Additional information about Samumed’s Alzheimer’s disease program can be found at:
https://www.samumed.com/pipeline/detail.aspx?id=18
Corporate Contact:
Erich Horsley
Samumed, LLC
erich@samumed.com
858-365-0200