Obsidian Therapeutics Appoints William Pao to Board

Obsidian Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology firm at the forefront of cell and gene therapy innovation, has appointed Dr. William Pao, M.D., Ph.D., to its Board of Directors as an independent member. Dr. Pao is highly esteemed for his pioneering work in oncology research and his leadership in global pharmaceutical drug development.

Maria Fardis, Ph.D., Chair of Obsidian’s Board of Directors, expressed enthusiasm about welcoming Dr. Pao, emphasizing that his extensive knowledge in lung cancer will be pivotal as the company advances its OBX-115 therapy for melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer. Dr. Pao shares Fardis's excitement, noting the unique potential of Obsidian’s tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy to provide transformative treatment options for patients with resistant solid tumors. He looks forward to leveraging his oncology drug development experience to support the company's growth.

Madan Jagasia, M.D., CEO of Obsidian, highlighted Dr. Pao's distinguished career and expertise, underscoring that his addition to the board will greatly benefit the ongoing clinical development of OBX-115. Dr. Pao's research has been instrumental in shaping lung cancer treatment, with significant contributions to translational medicine, cancer genomics, and personalized medicine.

Dr. Pao brings a wealth of experience from his tenure at Pfizer, where he was Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President. There, he led the Global Product Development organization, overseeing the clinical development of Pfizer’s pipeline. Prior to Pfizer, he directed Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, managing the discovery and early development of new molecular entities across various therapeutic domains. He also founded the Roche Institute for Translational Bioengineering.

At Vanderbilt University, Dr. Pao held multiple prestigious roles, including Professor of Medicine, Cornelius Abernathy Craig Chair of Medical and Surgical Oncology, Director of the Hematology/Oncology Division, and Director of Personalized Cancer Medicine at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. His career began at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where he was a practicing oncologist, lab researcher, and clinical investigator.

Dr. Pao is active in the broader medical and scientific community, serving on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Cancer Research, and as a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. He is also involved with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as a Council of Visitors member and Adjunct Professor of Medicine. Additionally, he holds an Adjunct Professorship in Pharmacology and Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Pao co-founded MyCancerGenome, a significant online tool for genetically informed cancer treatment. His academic background includes degrees from Harvard University and Yale University.

OBX-115, Obsidian’s leading investigational therapy, represents a novel engineered TIL cell therapy equipped with pharmacologically regulatable membrane-bound IL15 (mbIL15). This therapy aims to offer a promising treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma and other solid tumors by enhancing TIL cell persistence, antitumor activity, and clinical safety.

Obsidian Therapeutics, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializes in developing engineered cell and gene therapies. The company utilizes its proprietary cytoDRiVE® technology to precisely control protein function with FDA-approved small-molecule drugs. Obsidian has established collaborations with industry leaders such as Bristol Myers Squibb and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.