FibroGen Appoints Deyaa Adib, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer

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FibroGen, Inc. appoints Dr. Deyaa Adib, an experienced oncology leader, as Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer. His extensive background in oncology drug development will drive the company's oncology pipeline forward, focusing on bringing novel cancer therapies to patients in need.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) today announced the appointment of Deyaa Adib, M.D., an executive leader with almost three decades of oncology development experience, as Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer to oversee all global clinical development activities. The appointment is effective March 11, 2024.

“Deyaa’s leadership and expertise in oncology research and clinical development, particularly in bringing oncology therapeutics to market, will be key to accelerating our oncology pipeline and bringing novel cancer therapies to patients in need,” said Thane Wettig, Chief Executive Officer of FibroGen. “We are excited to welcome him to FibroGen during this critical time as we prepare for two pivotal read-outs for pamrevlumab in pancreatic cancer, advance Phase 2 planning for FG-3246 in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, file an IND for our anti-Galectin-9 antibody and continue IND-enabling work for our anti-CCR8 antibody,” he added. “We will benefit immensely from Deyaa’s broad and deep experience in oncology drug development, including his experiences in both pancreatic and prostate cancers.”

“I am excited to join FibroGen and lead the clinical development organization at this important time for our company,” commented Deyaa Adib, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of FibroGen. “I look forward to working with such a highly talented and deeply experienced group of colleagues as we progress our oncology pipeline with the goal to bring valuable medicines to cancer patients with significant unmet medical need." 

Dr. Adib, a seasoned industry leader, has over 27 years of medical oncology experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, including seven successful registrations across solid tumor and hematologic malignancy indications. Prior to joining FibroGen, he was the Chief Medical Officer of Triumvira Immunologics Inc. where he led the transition of two novel cell therapy programs into clinical development. He previously served as Acting Chief Medical Officer at Rain Therapeutics, and as Vice President of late-stage development at Blueprint Medicines, where he led the development of avapritinib which is currently approved for gastrointestinal stromal tumors and advanced systemic mastocytosis. Dr. Adib also served as Global Therapeutics Head for solid tumors at Baxalta, in-licensing and advancing the development of nanoliposomal irinotecan that was subsequently approved globally for pancreatic cancer, establishing a new standard of care in the second line metastatic setting. He also served as Head of Hematologic Malignancies at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, leading the global clinical program for ponatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Adib held multiple oncology clinical development leadership positions at Aventis, Sanofi and Astellas Pharma, advancing the development of Taxotere in prostate cancer, breast cancer and gastric cancer, oxaliplatin in colorectal cancer and notably enzalutamide, which led to a treatment paradigm shift in prostate cancer. He has served as a scientific advisory board member for multiple biotech companies and provided strategic consulting support to several cell therapy startups.

Dr. Adib obtained an M.B., B.Ch. degree from Cairo University School of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt. He completed his postgraduate medical oncology training at the Anglo-American Cancer Institute in Cairo and additionally at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, in clinical pharmacology, drug development and regulation.

About FibroGen 
FibroGen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on accelerating the development of novel therapies at the frontiers of cancer biology. Pamrevlumab, an anti-CTGF fully human monoclonal antibody, is in clinical development for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Roxadustat (爱瑞卓^®, EVRENZO^TM) is currently approved in China, Europe, Japan, and numerous other countries for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis and not on dialysis. Roxadustat is in clinical development for chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) and a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) has been accepted for review by the China Health Authority. FibroGen recently expanded its research and development portfolio to include antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and immunoncology product candidates for the treatment of solid tumors. For more information, please visit www.fibrogen.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding FibroGen’s strategy, future plans and prospects, including statements regarding its clinical programs and those of its partner, PanCAN. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the potential and probability of success of FibroGen product candidates, and statements about FibroGen’s plans and objectives and typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “will”, “should,” “on track,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. FibroGen’s actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties related to the continued progress and timing of its various programs, including the enrollment and results from ongoing and potential future clinical trials, and other matters that are described in FibroGen’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors set forth therein. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and FibroGen undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as required by law.

Contacts:
FibroGen, Inc.

Investors:
David DeLucia, CFA
Vice President of Corporate FP&A / Investor Relations
ddelucia@fibrogen.com 

Media:
Meichiel Keenan
Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
mkeenan@fibrogen.com 

FAQ

Who was appointed as Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer of FibroGen?

Dr. Deyaa Adib was appointed as Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer of FibroGen.

What is Dr. Deyaa Adib's background in oncology development?

Dr. Deyaa Adib has over 27 years of experience in oncology drug development, with successful registrations across solid tumor and hematologic malignancy indications.

What are the upcoming milestones mentioned in the press release for FibroGen?

The upcoming milestones include two pivotal read-outs for pamrevlumab in pancreatic cancer, advancing Phase 2 planning for FG-3246 in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, filing an IND for the anti-Galectin-9 antibody, and continuing IND-enabling work for the anti-CCR8 antibody.

Where did Dr. Deyaa Adib obtain his medical degree?

Dr. Deyaa Adib obtained his M.B., B.Ch. degree from Cairo University School of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt.

What previous roles did Dr. Deyaa Adib hold before joining FibroGen?

Before joining FibroGen, Dr. Deyaa Adib held roles such as Chief Medical Officer at Triumvira Immunologics Inc., Acting Chief Medical Officer at Rain Therapeutics, and Vice President of late-stage development at Blueprint Medicines.