Atara Biotherapeutics Appoints Cell Therapy and Oncology Commercialization Veteran Ameet Mallik to the Board of Directors
Atara Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: ATRA) announces the appointment of Ameet Mallik to its Board of Directors. Mr. Mallik, an expert in biotechnology with over 25 years of experience, has a successful history of bringing oncology therapeutics to market. His leadership is expected to enhance Atara's efforts to commercialize its lead product, tab-cel®, anticipated for approval in 2022. Mallik's expertise spans commercial operations at Novartis and Rafael Holdings, positioning him to drive Atara's mission of transforming the lives of patients with serious diseases.
- Appointment of Ameet Mallik is expected to strengthen leadership and management experience.
- Mr. Mallik's extensive background in oncology could enhance Atara's commercialization strategy for tab-cel®.
- Concerns about continuity in leadership could arise given the management change.
Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATRA), a pioneer in T-cell immunotherapy leveraging its novel allogeneic EBV T-cell platform to develop transformative therapies for patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced the appointment of Ameet Mallik to the Board of Directors. Mr. Mallik is a biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry expert with a successful track record of bringing innovative oncology therapeutics, including CAR T cell therapy, to market in the U.S. and other countries. With more than 25 years of experience, Mr. Mallik adds relevant and directly applicable management and operational experience that will be instrumental as Atara progresses toward commercial launch of its lead product, tab-cel®.
“From commercialization of innovative rare oncology therapies to payer, access and reimbursement expertise, Ameet brings a wealth of experience in the cell and gene therapy space to the Atara Board,” said Pascal Touchon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atara. “Ameet joins us at a critical time as we advance our first-in-kind off-the-shelf allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy and anticipate our first approvals in 2022. I am thrilled to welcome him to our Board.”
Ameet Mallik is Chief Executive Officer of Rafael Holdings, a late-stage cancer metabolism therapeutic company and has held several leadership roles at Novartis Oncology, most recently as Executive Vice President and Head of U.S. Oncology where he was responsible for commercial and medical oncology operations. Before leading U.S. Oncology, Mr. Mallik served as the Global Head, Marketing, Value and Access as well as Head, Latin America and Canada, both for Novartis Oncology. Mr. Mallik held several commercial leadership roles earlier in his career at Novartis and Sandoz. At Sandoz, Mr. Mallik was Global Head of Biopharmaceuticals & Oncology Injectables and has previously worked as an Associate Principal at McKinsey and Company.
“Atara Biotherapeutics is an industry trailblazer for allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy and is rapidly advancing a robust pipeline,” said Mr. Mallik. “I am honored to join the Board and look forward to working with my fellow directors and the entire Atara leadership team to advance the company’s mission to transform the lives of patients with serious diseases.”
Mr. Mallik received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Biotechnology from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
About Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. (@Atarabio) is a pioneer in T-cell immunotherapy leveraging its novel allogeneic EBV T-cell platform to develop transformative therapies for patients with serious diseases including solid tumors, hematologic cancers and autoimmune disease. With our lead program in Phase 3 clinical development, Atara is the most advanced allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy company and intends to rapidly deliver off-the-shelf treatments to patients with high unmet medical need. Our platform leverages the unique biology of EBV T cells and has the capability to treat a wide range of EBV-associated diseases, or other serious diseases through incorporation of engineered CARs (chimeric antigen receptors) or TCRs (T-cell receptors). Atara is applying this one platform to create a robust pipeline including: tab-cel® in Phase 3 development for Epstein-Barr virus-driven post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV+ PTLD) and other EBV-driven diseases; ATA188, a T-cell immunotherapy targeting EBV antigens as a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis; and multiple next-generation chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) immunotherapies for both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Improving patients’ lives is our mission and we will never stop working to bring transformative therapies to those in need. Atara is headquartered in South San Francisco and our leading-edge research, development and manufacturing facility is based in Thousand Oaks, California. For additional information about the company, please visit atarabio.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains or may imply "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. For example, forward-looking statements include statements regarding: Mr. Mallik joining Atara’s Board of Directors and the related effective date; Atara’s portfolio, pipeline, technology and platform; the timing of potential tab-cel® approval, and Atara’s ability to successfully advance the development of its portfolio, pipeline, technology and platform and commercialization of tab-cel®. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Atara Biotherapeutics' current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties and actual results, performance or achievements of Atara Biotherapeutics could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with the costly and time-consuming pharmaceutical product development process and the uncertainty of clinical success; the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which may significantly impact (i) our business, research, clinical development plans and operations, including our operations in South San Francisco and Southern California and at our clinical trial sites, as well as the business or operations of our third-party manufacturer, contract research organizations or other third parties with whom we conduct business, (ii) our ability to access capital, and (iii) the value of our common stock; the sufficiency of Atara’s cash resources and need for additional capital; and other risks and uncertainties affecting Atara’s and its development programs, including those discussed in Atara Biotherapeutics' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company’s most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings and in the documents incorporated by reference therein. Except as otherwise required by law, Atara Biotherapeutics disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.
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