Connect Biopharma Appoints Autoimmune and Immunology Expert Chin Lee, MD, MPH as Chief Medical Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Connect Biopharma (NASDAQ: CNTB) has appointed Dr. Chin Lee as Chief Medical Officer, effective March 1, 2022, aiming to enhance its clinical pipeline for inflammatory diseases. Dr. Lee brings over 15 years of experience from Theravance Biopharma and Genentech, focusing on drug development in immunology. His expertise is expected to propel the advancement of their therapeutic candidates, including CBP-201 and CBP-307, which target conditions like asthma and ulcerative colitis. The company is committed to global clinical development and improving patient outcomes.

Positive

• Appointment of Dr. Chin Lee, bringing extensive experience in drug development for inflammatory diseases.
• Strengthened leadership aimed at advancing the clinical pipeline.
• Potential for improved patient outcomes with innovative therapies.

Negative

• Concerns about continuity and experience gaps may arise due to leadership change.

CMO appointment to propel Connect through clinical milestones across solid pipeline of inflammatory disease therapies in development

SAN DIEGOand TAICANG, China, March 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Connect Biopharma Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: CNTB) ("Connect Biopharma," “Connect,” or the “Company”), a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases through the development of therapies derived from T cell-driven research, today announced the appointment of Chin Lee, MD, MPH, as Chief Medical Officer, effective March 1, 2022.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Lee to Connect’s executive team at a pivotal time for the organization,” said Zheng Wei, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Connect Biopharma. “His extensive drug development experience in inflammation and immunology is expected to help advance our clinical pipeline of potentially differentiated therapeutic candidates designed to improve care and outcomes for millions of people with inflammatory diseases worldwide.”

Dr. Lee brings more than 15 years of clinical research and development experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining the Company, Dr. Lee served as Vice President, Head of Clinical Science, and Chief Medical Officer at Theravance Biopharma, Inc. Before this role, Dr. Lee was Lead Group Medical Director, within the Genentech Research & Early Development (gRED) group at Genentech, Inc. Previously, Dr. Lee held roles of increasing responsibility at Eli Lilly & Company, serving most recently as Global Senior Medical Director, Immunology Therapeutic Area, within the Bio-medicines Business Unit, and he also served as Associate Medical Director, Immunoscience Group, at Abbott. He has successfully led the submission of global regulatory filings, including for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals, and product commercialization across multiple autoimmune and immunology disease indications. Dr. Lee received a B.S. in Biology and an M.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.P.H. from Northwestern University.

“I am honored to join Connect Biopharma during this exciting time as they progress their pipeline of innovative development programs derived from their T cell-driven research,” said Dr. Lee. “Connect is a leader in targeting immunological pathways, and I look forward to working with my new colleagues to discover and develop potential best-in-class therapies for inflammatory diseases.”

About Connect Biopharma Holdings Limited
Connect Biopharma Holdings Limited is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of patients living with chronic inflammatory diseases through the development of therapies derived from our T cell-driven research.

Our lead product candidate, CBP-201, an antibody designed to target interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα), has been in clinical trials for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Our second lead product candidate, CBP-307, a modulator of a T cell receptor known as sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1), has been in clinical trials for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Furthermore, we have started the clinical development of an additional product candidate, CBP-174, a peripherally acting antagonist of histamine receptor 3, for the treatment of pruritus associated with AD.

With clinical development activities in the United States, China, Europe, and Australia, and operations in those geographies as well as Hong Kong, Connect Biopharma is building a rich global pipeline of internally designed, wholly owned small molecules and antibodies targeting several aspects of T cell biology. For additional information about Connect Biopharma, please visit our website at www.connectbiopharm.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Connect Biopharma cautions that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "could," "will," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "predict," "seek," "contemplate," “look forward,” "potential," "continue" or "project" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include the Company’s plans to advance the development of its therapeutic candidates and the potential of such therapeutic candidates, if approved, to be best-in-class products. The inclusion of forward-looking statements shall not be regarded as a representation by Connect Biopharma that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Connect Biopharma business and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and Connect Biopharma undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Connect Biopharma's filings with the SEC which are available from the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov) and on Connect Biopharma’s website (www.connectbiopharm.com) under the heading "Investors." All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

IR/PR Contacts: 
Lazar FINN Partners 
David Carey (IR) 
T: +1-(212) 867-1768
david.carey@finnpartners.com

Erich Sandoval (Media)
T: +1-(917)-497-2867
erich.sandoval@finnpartners.com

Corporate Contacts:
info@connectpharm.com

FAQ

Who is the new Chief Medical Officer of Connect Biopharma?

Dr. Chin Lee has been appointed as Chief Medical Officer, effective March 1, 2022.

What is Dr. Chin Lee's experience prior to joining Connect Biopharma?

Dr. Lee has over 15 years of clinical research experience, previously serving at Theravance Biopharma and Genentech.

What therapeutic candidates are being developed by Connect Biopharma?

Connect Biopharma is developing CBP-201 for atopic dermatitis and CBP-307 for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

How does Dr. Lee's appointment affect Connect Biopharma's clinical pipeline?

His appointment is expected to enhance the company's clinical pipeline and drive progress in therapeutic candidate development.