GT Biopharma Announces Dr. Greg Berk, M.D. Joins Board of Directors
GT Biopharma has appointed Dr. Greg Berk, M.D. to its Board of Directors. Dr. Berk brings extensive experience in oncology drug development, having previously held senior positions at Verastem, Sideris Pharmaceuticals, and BIND Therapeutics. He is expected to contribute significantly to the advancement of the company's proprietary NK cell engager (TriKE™) technology, particularly in developing its lead candidate, GTB-3550, for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML). GT Biopharma aims to harness the immune system to combat cancer effectively.
- Dr. Berk's extensive experience in oncology drug development may enhance GT Biopharma's strategic direction.
- Increased expertise on the board could positively impact the company's clinical trial efforts and drug development.
- Dr. Berk's transition into the company may require an adjustment period, impacting continuity.
- The reliance on a new board member raises concerns about potential experience gaps in the current leadership.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 19, 2020 / GT Biopharma, Inc. (OTCQB:GTBP)(GTBP.PA) an immuno-oncology company focused on innovative therapies based on the Company's proprietary NK cell engager (TriKE™) technology is pleased to announce Dr. Greg Berk, M.D. has joined the Company's Board of Directors.
Dr. Greg Berk is an Independent Director of the Company. Dr. Berk is a senior oncology drug development consultant. Dr. Berk previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Verastem. Dr. Berk was President, Chief Medical Officer, and Board Member of Sideris Pharmaceuticals. From May 2012 until January 2014, Dr. Berk was Chief Medical Officer of BIND Therapeutics. Previously, Dr. Berk was Chief Medical Officer at Intellikine, a privately held biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel PI3 Kinase and mTOR inhibitors. Intellikine was acquired by Takeda/Millennium in January 2012. Dr. Berk was previously Senior Vice President of Global Clinical Development at Abraxis BioScience, where he was responsible for the company's overall clinical strategy, including efforts to expand the indications for their lead clinical program (Abraxane®), as well as oversee the clinical development of their entire pipeline. Dr. Berk also served on the integration leadership team during the Celgene (Trading: CLEG) acquisition of Abraxis in 2010. Dr. Berk obtained his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University, and completed his internship, residency, and fellowship in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology, at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he also served as a faculty member from 1989-2004. During this time, Dr. Berk served as an investigator on several industry-sponsored and cooperative group oncology clinical trials, including the pivotal trials for Gleevec® and Avastin®. The Board of Directors believes that Dr. Berk's qualifications to sit on the Board include his experience building companies and bringing oncology drugs to the market, his medical credentials and experience in oncology, and his pharmaceuticals industry experience and knowledge.
Mr. Anthony Cataldo, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GT Biopharma commented "we are pleased to welcome Greg to the Company's Board of Directors, and we look forward to working with Greg as we advance TriKE™ in clinical development for the treatment of cancer and other diseases."
About GTB-3550 Trispecific NK cell Engager (TriKE™)
GTB-3550 is the Company's first TriKE™ product candidate being initially developed for the treatment AML. GTB-3550 is a single-chain, tri-specific scFv recombinant fusion protein conjugate composed of the variable regions of the heavy and light chains of anti-CD16 and anti-CD33 antibodies and a modified form of IL-15. The natural killer (NK) cell stimulating cytokine human IL-15 portion of the molecule provides a self-sustaining signal that activates NK cells and enhances their ability to kill. We intend to study GTB-3550 in CD33 positive leukemias such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and other CD33+ hematopoietic malignancies.
About GT Biopharma, Inc.
GT Biopharma, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of immuno-oncology therapeutic products based our proprietary Tri-specific Killer Engager (TriKE™) platform. Our TriKE platform is designed to harness and enhance the cancer killing abilities of a patient's immune system natural killer cells (NK cells). GT Biopharma has an exclusive worldwide license agreement with the University of Minnesota to further develop and commercialize cancer therapies using proprietary TriKE™ technologies.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, including statements regarding the potential acquisition, the likelihood of closing the potential transaction, our clinical focus, and our current and proposed trials. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as "believes", "hopes", "intends", "estimates", "expects", "projects", "plans", "anticipates" and variations thereof, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Our forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance, and actual results could differ materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements. In evaluating all such statements, we urge you to specifically consider the various risk factors identified in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 in the section titled "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A and in our subsequent Form 10Q Quarterly filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by our forward-looking statements.
Our forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on currently available financial, economic, scientific, and competitive data and information on current business plans. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to, among other things: (i) the sufficiency of our cash position and our ongoing ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, (ii) our ability to complete our contemplated clinical trials, or to meet the FDA's requirements with respect to safety and efficacy, (iii) our ability to identify patients to enroll in our clinical trials in a timely fashion, (iv) our ability to achieve approval of a marketable product, (v) design, implementation and conduct of clinical trials, (vii) the results of our clinical trials, including the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results, (vii) the market for, and marketability of, any product that is approved, (viii) the existence or development of treatments that are viewed by medical professionals or patients as superior to our products, (ix) regulatory initiatives, compliance with governmental regulations and the regulatory approval process, and social conditions, and (x) various other matters, many of which are beyond our control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties develop, or should underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially and adversely from those anticipated, believed, estimated, or otherwise indicated by our forward-looking statements.
We intend that all forward-looking statements made in this press release will be subject to the safe harbor protection of the federal securities laws pursuant to Section 27A of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any responsibility to update these forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release. Additionally, we do not undertake any responsibility to update you on the occurrence of any unanticipated events which may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
For more information, please visit www.gtbiopharma.com.
SOURCE: GT Biopharma, Inc
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