Erasca Appoints Jean Liu to its Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

Erasca has appointed Jean Liu, currently chief legal officer at Seagen, to its board of directors and audit committee. With over 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical sector, Liu has been instrumental in Seagen’s growth into a leading oncology company. Erasca aims to enhance its leadership team amid advancements in their RAS/MAPK pathway-focused pipeline, which targets various cancers. Liu’s expertise will support Erasca's mission to develop innovative therapies and address unmet needs in cancer treatment.

Positive

• Jean Liu's appointment strengthens Erasca's leadership with her extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical field.
• Liu's previous role at Seagen indicates a potential for strategic insights and guidance in oncology.

Negative

• The transition in leadership may lead to continuity concerns and potential experience gaps in the board.

Ms. Liu, currently chief legal officer at Seagen, brings decades of business and legal experience and will also join Erasca’s audit committee

SAN DIEGO, April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Erasca, Inc. (Nasdaq: ERAS), a clinical-stage precision oncology company singularly focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies for patients with RAS/MAPK pathway-driven cancers, today announced the appointment of Jean Liu to its board of directors and to its audit committee. Ms. Liu brings over 20 years of professional experience advising biopharmaceutical companies on corporate, intellectual property, compliance, and general legal matters.

“Jean Liu has been a seasoned executive with Seagen during its transformation into a leading global, multiproduct oncology company, and she also is one of the most strategic business leaders in the industry with a sterling reputation for thoughtful counsel,” said Jonathan E. Lim, M.D., Erasca’s chairman, CEO, and co-founder. “We are thrilled to welcome Jean to our team as a board member at this important juncture for Erasca as we advance our pipeline for the benefit of patients.”

Ms. Liu added, “Joining the Erasca board is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the development of multiple innovative therapies addressing unmet needs across diverse cancers. Erasca has taken a leadership position in addressing RAS/MAPK pathway-driven cancers by assembling the most comprehensive pipeline singularly focused on this difficult-to-treat pathway. I look forward to partnering with the company and the board to support them in their mission to erase cancer.”

About Jean Liu, J.D.

Ms. Liu brings over 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, specializing in legal business leadership, including corporate governance, business transactions, intellectual property, and compliance. She currently serves as the chief legal officer of Seagen Inc., a global, multiproduct, oncology focused biotechnology company. Previously, she was vice president and general counsel at Halozyme Therapeutics and chief legal officer at Durect Corporation. Earlier in her career, Ms. Liu practiced law in the areas of intellectual property litigation and technology licensing at various law firms. She serves as a director on the board of Connect Biopharma Holdings, Ltd., a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on inflammatory diseases. She received her J.D. from Columbia University, her M.S. in biology from Stanford University, and her B.S. in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Michigan.

About Erasca
At Erasca, our name is our mission: To erase cancer. We are a clinical-stage precision oncology company singularly focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies for patients with RAS/MAPK pathway-driven cancers. Our company was co-founded by leading pioneers in precision oncology and RAS targeting to create novel therapies and combination regimens designed to comprehensively shut down the RAS/MAPK pathway for the treatment of cancer. We have assembled what we believe to be the deepest RAS/MAPK pathway-focused pipeline in the industry. We believe our team’s capabilities and experience, further guided by our scientific advisory board which includes the world’s leading experts in the RAS/MAPK pathway, uniquely position us to achieve our bold mission of erasing cancer.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Erasca cautions you that statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to advance our development pipeline across multiple types of cancer. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in our business, including, without limitation: our approach to the discovery and development of product candidates based on our singular focus on shutting down the RAS/MAPK pathway, a novel and unproven approach; potential delays in the commencement, enrollment, and completion of clinical trials and preclinical studies; our dependence on third parties in connection with manufacturing, research, and preclinical and clinical testing; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate efficacy of our product candidates that may limit their development, regulatory approval, and/or commercialization, or may result in recalls or product liability claims; unfavorable results from preclinical studies or clinical trials; results from preclinical studies or early clinical trials not necessarily being predictive of future results; the inability to realize any benefits from our current licenses and acquisitions and any future licenses, acquisitions, or collaborations, and our ability to fulfill our obligations under such arrangements; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our product candidates and maintain our rights under intellectual property licenses; our ability to fund our operating plans with our current cash, cash equivalents, and investments; our ability to maintain undisrupted business operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including delaying or disrupting our clinical trials, manufacturing, and supply chain; and other risks described in our prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021, and any subsequent filings with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Contact:
Joyce Allaire
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
jallaire@lifesciadvisors.com

Source: Erasca, Inc.

FAQ

Who is Jean Liu, and what is her role at Erasca?

Jean Liu is the newly appointed board member and audit committee member at Erasca, bringing significant legal and business experience from her role at Seagen.

What experience does Jean Liu bring to Erasca?

Jean Liu has over 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, focusing on legal leadership in corporate governance and business transactions.

What is the significance of Jean Liu's appointment for Erasca?

Her appointment is intended to bolster Erasca's leadership as the company advances its pipeline focused on RAS/MAPK-driven cancers.

How might Jean Liu's experience impact Erasca's development pipeline?

Liu's experience at Seagen may provide strategic insights that could enhance the development and commercialization of Erasca's therapies.

When was Jean Liu appointed to Erasca's board?

Jean Liu was appointed to Erasca's board of directors on April 27, 2022.