Covant Therapeutics Announces the Formation of its Scientific Advisory Board to Support Platform and Pipeline Advancement

Rhea-AI Summary

Covant Therapeutics, incubated by Roivant Sciences (ROIV), has established a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to enhance its therapeutic development pipeline. The SAB comprises renowned experts, including Dr. Alan D’Andrea from Harvard, Dr. Bernhard Küster from the Technical University of Munich, and Dr. Malcolm MacCoss from the University of Oxford. Their expertise spans DNA repair pathways, proteomics, and drug interaction analysis, positioning Covant to innovate in covalent therapeutics against challenging oncology targets. Dr. Ivan Cornella, Chief Scientific Officer, expressed enthusiasm for the board's contribution to Covant’s mission.

Positive

• Formation of a Scientific Advisory Board with prominent experts.
• Expertise in significant areas like DNA repair and proteomics strengthens Covant's pipeline.

Negative

• None.

BOSTON, March 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Covant Therapeutics, an innovative covalent drug discovery company incubated by Roivant Sciences (Nasdaq: ROIV), today announced the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Covant uses its unprecedented high-throughput chemoproteomics platform to discover novel small molecule therapeutics against hard-to-drug immunology and oncology targets.

“This is a very exciting time for Covant as we continue to build our compelling pipeline of therapeutic programs,” said Dr. Ivan Cornella, Chief Scientific Officer of Covant. “I am thrilled to welcome our new Scientific Advisory Board members. I believe that each of them is positioned to contribute significantly to Covant’s success in bringing novel covalent therapeutics to patients.”

The founding members of Covant’s SAB are:

• Dr. Alan D’Andrea is the Alvan T. and Viola D. Fuller American Cancer Society Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Center for DNA Damage and Repair, and Director of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is a pioneer in and internationally known for his research in molecular signaling pathways that regulate DNA damage response and DNA repair in mammalian cells. These pathways are often disrupted in cancer cells, accounting for the chromosomal instability and increased mutation frequency in human tumors. Dr. D’Andrea has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles. Among his many accolades, he is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research Academy, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences.
• Dr. Bernhard Küster is a Professor of Proteomics and Bioanalytics and Head of the Bavarian Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry Center at the Technical University of Munich. His pioneering team characterizes the proteomes of cancer patients, investigates how molecularly targeted cancer drugs exert their desired and undesired actions in cells, and develops analytical and bioinformatic tools to study proteomes. Prior to his current academic position, Dr. Küster was a member of the Senior Management Team at Cellzome A.G. (now part of GSK), where he made major contributions to the large-scale analysis of protein-protein and protein-drug interactions. Dr. Küster has published more than 250 peer-reviewed articles and received awards from the Human Proteome Organization and the German Mass Spectrometry Society. He has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences – Leopoldina.
• Dr. Malcolm MacCoss is a highly accomplished chemist who has held senior research positions at Schering-Plough and Merck & Co. He is a Visiting Professor of Chemistry for Medicine at the University of Oxford. Dr. MacCoss is the recipient of two Thomas Edison Awards (2004 and 2007, for his contributions to the discovery of EMEND and JANUVIA, respectively). He was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 2008 and was inducted into the American Chemical Society Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame in 2009. Dr. MacCoss currently serves or in recent years has served as a Scientific Advisory Board member or consultant to AbbVie, Idera, Gilead, UCB, and Sitryx, among many others.
  

About Covant Therapeutics
Covant Therapeutics is a Boston-based covalent drug discovery company that was incubated by Roivant Sciences (NASDAQ: ROIV). Covant creates novel therapeutics by using covalency to imprint and regulate proteins. To discover these therapeutics, the company applies cutting-edge capabilities and expertise in chemistry, quantitative proteomics, translational sciences, and deep learning. For more information, please visit www.covanttx.com.

Contacts

Investors
Covant Investor Relations
ir@covanttx.com

Media
Covant Public Relations
pr@covanttx.com

 

FAQ

What is the significance of Covant Therapeutics forming a Scientific Advisory Board?

The formation of a Scientific Advisory Board is significant as it brings together leading experts to guide Covant Therapeutics in developing innovative therapies, enhancing the company's research capabilities and credibility.

Who are the founding members of Covant Therapeutics' Scientific Advisory Board?

The founding members include Dr. Alan D’Andrea, Dr. Bernhard Küster, and Dr. Malcolm MacCoss, each with extensive experience in cancer research and therapeutics.

How might the SAB impact Covant Therapeutics' drug discovery efforts?

The Scientific Advisory Board's expertise in critical scientific areas is expected to significantly impact Covant's drug discovery efforts, potentially accelerating the development of new treatments for challenging diseases.

What role does Roivant Sciences play in Covant Therapeutics?

Roivant Sciences incubated Covant Therapeutics, providing crucial support and resources to aid the company's innovative drug discovery initiatives.