Kronos Bio Appoints Taiyin Yang, Ph.D., to Board of Directors
Kronos Bio (Nasdaq: KRON) announced the appointment of Taiyin Yang, Ph.D., to its board of directors. Dr. Yang brings over 40 years of experience in pharma development, including significant roles at Gilead Sciences, where she led the creation of innovative treatments. Her expertise is expected to aid Kronos in advancing its clinical pipeline. Additionally, Jakob Loven will not seek re-election at the 2021 Annual Meeting. This change comes during a critical growth phase for Kronos, focused on cancer therapies like entospletinib and KB-0742.
- Appointment of Taiyin Yang, bringing over 40 years of experience in pharma development.
- Yang's leadership at Gilead resulted in over 25 compounds advancing to commercialization.
- Her expertise expected to strengthen Kronos Bio's clinical pipeline and growth.
- Jakob Loven's departure may create continuity concerns on the board.
- Lack of experience in conducting clinical trials might pose risks in future developments.
SAN MATEO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kronos Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: KRON), a company dedicated to transforming the lives of those affected by cancer, today announced the appointment of Taiyin Yang, Ph.D., to the company’s board of directors. Dr. Yang has more than four decades of experience in developing and manufacturing medicines in a variety of therapeutic categories. Additionally, Jakob Loven has notified the company that he will not stand for re-election at the company’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
“On behalf of the board of directors and senior management at Kronos Bio, I am pleased to welcome Taiyin to the board at this exciting time in our growth as a company. Taiyin is a highly respected and experienced business leader with a proven track record across product development, commercial manufacturing and quality operations. Her counsel and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to advance our pipeline programs into later clinical development and approach commercialization,” said Norbert Bischofberger, Ph.D., president and CEO of Kronos Bio. “I would also like to thank Jakob for his dedicated service to the company and his many contributions over the years to help us reach where we are today.”
Dr. Yang currently serves as the executive vice president of Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing at Gilead Sciences Inc., with responsibility for all the company's investigational compounds and marketed products. Under her leadership, Gilead developed the world’s first HIV single tablet regimen and advanced more than 25 compounds from early-stage development to commercialization, reaching millions of people around the world. Dr. Yang joined Gilead in 1993, became the senior vice president of Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing in 2005, and was appointed to her current role in 2015. Prior to joining Gilead, Dr. Yang worked at Syntex Corporation for more than a decade, where she contributed to the development and commercialization of more than 10 medicines.
“I am excited to join Kronos Bio’s board of directors,” said Dr. Yang. “I look forward to contributing to the company’s future growth alongside my fellow board members and company senior management to help advance truly innovative drug candidates that have the potential to transform the lives of people affected by cancer.”
In addition to Kronos Bio, Dr. Yang is currently a member of the board of directors of Kodiak Sciences. She serves as an executive sponsor of the Gilead Asian Interest Network and is a member of the Expert Scientific Advisory Committee of Medicines for Malaria Venture. This year, Dr. Yang became a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Dr. Yang holds a B.S. in chemistry from National Taiwan University and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Southern California.
About Kronos Bio, Inc.
Kronos Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing therapies that seek to transform the lives of those affected by cancer. The company focuses on targeting dysregulated transcription factors and the regulatory networks within cells that drive cancerous growth. Kronos Bio’s lead investigational therapy is entospletinib, a selective inhibitor targeting spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) in development for the frontline treatment of NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The company is also developing KB-0742, an oral inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), for the treatment of MYC-amplified solid tumors.
Kronos Bio is based in San Mateo, Calif., and has a research facility in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit www.kronosbio.com or follow the company on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release, in some cases, uses terms such as "believe," "potential," “continue,” “advance,” “approach,” “look forward,” “future growth,” “advance” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Kronos Bio’s ability to advance its pipeline programs into later clinical development and commercialization, and other statements that are not historical fact. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: due to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and risks inherent in the clinical development of novel therapeutics; risks related to Kronos Bio’s lack of experience as a company in conducting clinical trials; the risk that results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results; and risks associated with the sufficiency of Kronos Bio’s cash resources and need for additional capital. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Kronos Bio’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 23, 2021. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Except as required by law, Kronos Bio assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
Company contact:
Stephanie Yao
Executive Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
650-525-6605
syao@kronosbio.com
Investors:
Claudia Styslinger
Argot Partners
212-600-1902
kronosbio@argotpartners.com
Media:
Sheryl Seapy
Real Chemistry
949-903-4750
sseapy@realchemistry.com
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