University of Melbourne

Industry Veterans Appointed to Drive Strategic Vision of the Specialized Investment FundBOSTON, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NYBC Ventures LLC (“NYBC Ventures”), a specialized fund focused on investments in blood and cellular technologies, announced today the formation of its limited liability company structure and the addition of four esteemed industry leaders to its newly-constituted Board of Managers. This critical step advances NYBC Ventures’ mission of accelerating groundbreaking life science innovations and expanding New York Blood Center Inc.’s (NYBCe) influence within the blood and cell-related ecosystems. “We are incredibly proud of the progress the fund has achieved since its inception in 2022 and are excited to further support impactful biopharmaceutical and other investments,” said Christopher D. Hillyer, MD, President and CEO of NYBCe, and General Partner and Manager of NYBC Ventures. “With a $50 million commitment, we’ve deployed capital across 15 companies that are delivering breakthrough solutions to address significant challenges in hematology, transfusion medicine, cell therapy, and infectious diseases.” The newly appointed Board of Managers comprises recognized industry veterans whose expertise will enhance NYBC Ventures’ strategic capabilities in specialized investing. Their collective experiences will be key in identifying, guiding, and scaling investments in groundbreaking companies. The four new additions join Christopher D. Hillyer, MD, and Jay Mohr, Executive Vice President & Chief Business Officer at NYBCe, and General Partner and Manager at NYBC Ventures, on the Board which now includes: John Rosenthal (Board Chair): Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at Brighthouse Financial, Mr. Rosenthal has over 40 years of investment management experience, including at MetLife, Inc. where he held multiple leadership roles and served as Chair MetLife’s Corporate Blood Program. He has been a trustee of NYBCe since 2018 and chairs its Finance Committee. Mr. Rosenthal holds a BA in Economics from Franklin & Marshall College and an MBA from Cornell University. Christopher D. Hillyer, MD (General Partner): President and CEO, New York Blood Center Enterprises; General Partner, NYBC Ventures; Distinguished Investigator, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute; and Professor, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell College of Medicine. An internationally recognized expert in hematology, transfusion and transplantation, and cellular/gene therapies, Dr. Hillyer brings a unique combination of vision, executional experience, and proven success as a seasoned business executive, scientist, board member, and global leader. Dr. Hillyer has a distinguished career as a board-certified physician in internal medicine, hematology, medical oncology, and transfusion medicine. He received his BS with Honors from Trinity College and his MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, with postgraduate training and fellowships in hematology-oncology, transfusion medicine, and bone marrow transplantation at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston. Jay Mohr (General Partner): Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer of New York Blood Center Enterprises’ (NYBCe), where he leads NYBCe’s cell therapy manufacturing business unit, Comprehensive Cell Solutions®, the specialty pharmacy and business development activities. Mr. Mohr has over 30 years of executive-level and entrepreneurial experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, generating over $1B in shareholder value over the course of his career. He holds a BA in Economics and German from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Jung Choi (Manager): An executive with over 25 years of experience in novel biopharmaceutical drug development and commercialization, Ms. Choi serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Third Rock Ventures and Director of Annexon Biosciences and Marea Therapeutics. She and her teams have closed over 50 transactions valued at more than $17 billion. Her prior roles include Chief Business and Strategy Officer at Global Blood Therapeutics and senior positions at Gilead Sciences and InterMune. She has been a trustee of NYBCe since 2020. She holds an BA and MBA from Stanford University. Cristina Csimma, PharmD (Manager): A Director of Syncona, Ltd. and Chair of Sardona Therapeutics, with decades of experience in global drug development and biotech value creation, Dr. Csimma held leadership roles spanning venture capital and major pharmaceutical firms, including Pfizer. Dr. Csimma holds degrees from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Northeastern University. David Kabakoff, PhD (Manager): A biochemist with over 30 years in diagnostic and pharmaceutical development and 18 years as a venture investor, Dr. Kabakoff serves as Executive Partner at Sofinnova Investments and Founding Senior Partner at HealthQuest Capital. He has co-founded and led multiple biotech companies and currently chairs NextCure. He holds a PhD from Yale University and a BA from Case Western Reserve University. “John, Jung, Cristina, and David are not just leaders in their fields – they are visionaries with proven track records of driving strategic growth in the life sciences,” said Jay Mohr. “Their guidance will be pivotal as we continue to support early and established companies advancing innovations in blood and cellular therapies.” “It’s an honor to join as Chair of NYBC Ventures’ Board of Managers and to work alongside this talented team,” said John Rosenthal. “We look forward to leveraging our collective expertise to guide the fund’s success.” About NYBC VenturesNYBC Ventures is an early-stage life sciences investment fund dedicated to advancing innovations in blood and cellular therapies. The fund invests in therapeutics, devices, and cutting-edge technologies that address critical challenges in these fields. Its mission is to improve patient outcomes by supporting groundbreaking therapeutics, platforms, and collaborative efforts. For more information, visit nybcventures.com. Media Contact:Jonathan Pappasjpappas@lifescicomms.com(857) 205-4403

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #Biotech -- Odyssey Therapeutics, Inc. , a biotechnology company pioneering next-generation precision immunomodulators for inflammatory diseases, today announced the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), which includes renowned experts in the fields of immunology and therapeutic development. The SAB will be chaired by Stephen Blacklow, M.D., Ph.D., who holds positions at Harvard Medical School and the Dana- Farber Cancer Institute and is a recognized drug discovery innovator. “The lens by which we evaluate therapeutic opportunities is supported by the profound knowledge of immune biology among our team and trusted advisors,” said Gary Glick, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Odyssey Therapeutics. “We are fortunate to work with a group of preeminent scientific minds and recognized drug hunters with extensive track records in developing molecules that have successfully translated from scientific hypothesis to clinical validation and regulatory success. We look forward to benefiting from their collective experience as we move our lead programs into the clinic and advance our earlier-stage pipeline.” Dr. Blacklow commented, “I am excited to work alongside Gary, my esteemed SAB members and the Odyssey team. Odyssey’s differentiated approach and dedication to advancing medicines for inflammatory disease is inspiring, and I look forward to contributing my expertise to help drive these groundbreaking programs forward.” Odyssey’s SAB is comprised of the following members: Dr. Blacklow, M.D., Ph.D., Gustavus Adolphus Pfeiffer Professor and Department Chair of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School, member of the Department of Cancer Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Dr. Blacklow is a globally recognized expert in signal transduction at the structural and molecular level. His research on the Notch pathway, a complex signaling pathway integral to immune cell function, has led to the development of multiple investigational therapies for hematologic malignancies, such as T cell acute lymphocytic leukemia. Of his many awards and affiliations, Dr. Blacklow received the National Cancer Institute’s prestigious Outstanding Investigator Award in 2017, and was elected to the Association of American Physicians in 2018 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University. Robert Abraham, Ph.D., former Executive Vice President of Cancer Biology at Odyssey: Dr. Abraham previously served as Chief Scientific Officer at Vividion Therapeutics, which was acquired in August 2021 by Bayer for $2 billion. He has extensive experience in both the pharmaceutical industry and academia, including 10 years at Pfizer where he served as Senior Vice President and group head in Oncology Research and Development, with oversight of cancer drug discovery and early clinical development. He previously held roles at Duke University Medical Center, including an Endowed Chair in the Department of Cancer Biology. Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions to multiple research areas, including cell signaling, T lymphocyte biology, rapamycin pharmacology and mTOR functions, cancer metabolism and DNA damage responses. He received a B.S. in biology from Bucknell University and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Pittsburgh. Richard Flavell, Ph.D., F.R.S., Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Dr. Flavell is a co-discoverer of introns in cellular genes, and his research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern immune responses, from the characterization of signal transduction pathways to the regulation of immune cell differentiation and activation. His work has been instrumental in identifying key components of the innate immune system, such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and Nod-like receptors (NLRs), and activation of the innate immune system and inflammatory disease. He received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Hull, England. Alexander (Sasha) Rudensky, Ph.D., Director, Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Tri-Institutional Professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, The Rockefeller University and Cornell University, and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Dr. Rudensky’s research has defined regulatory T cells and the roles they play in autoimmunity, tolerance, allergic disease, infections and cancer. His current work addresses the molecular mechanisms underlying regulatory T cell activity, and the role these cells play in autoimmunity, tumor immunity and immunity to infections. He received his candidate of sciences degree from the Gabrichevsky Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, and completed his postdoctoral work at the Yale School of Medicine. Ruslan Medzhitov, Ph.D., Sterling Professor, Yale University School of Medicine and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Dr. Medzhitov’s work has identified innate immune sensing pathways and established the principle of innate control of adaptive immunity. His current research is focused on inflammation biology, allergic diseases and evolutionary medicine. Dr. Medzhitov has been a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the 2019 Dickson Prize in Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. from Moscow State University. Sun Hur, Ph.D., Professor at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Dr. Hur’s work on the molecular mechanisms of how the immune system distinguishes between self and non-self-entities led to the discovery of MDA5 and its role in innate immunity, autoimmunity and autoinflammatory diseases. She is a past recipient of the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science for her research on inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and experimental enzymology. She earned her B.Sc. from Ewha Womans University and her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Seth Masters, Ph.D., Centre Head, Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research: Dr. Masters’ research on understanding the innate immune pathways that drive diseases led to the identification of the mechanisms by which NLRP1 mediates autoinflammatory disease. His current research explores how innate immune pathways contribute to inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, metabolic diseases and neurodegeneration. Dr. Masters obtained his B.Sc. in biochemistry from The University of Melbourne, Australia, and his Ph.D. in medical biology from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Michael B. Yaffe, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Biology and Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Dr. Yaffe’s research focuses on uncovering signaling pathways in cells that respond to stress, DNA damage and inflammatory cytokines and how the outputs of these pathways are integrated at the molecular and systems level to control the cell outcomes. Dr. Yaffe received his B.S. in materials science and engineering from Cornell University, M.D., Ph.D. degrees from Case Western Reserve University and advanced postdoctoral training with Prof. Lew Cantley at Harvard Medical School. About Odyssey Therapeutics Odyssey Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing the next generation of inflammatory precision medicines. Since its founding in 2021, Odyssey has rapidly advanced a pipeline of clinical- and research-stage programs, leveraging the scientific expertise of its team of drug hunters and a comprehensive suite of tools to tackle drug targets with the greatest potential to benefit patients. Odyssey’s mission is to create extraordinary leaps in patient outcomes and change the standard of care for those living with serious inflammatory diseases. For more information, please visit odysseytx.com and follow Odyssey Therapeutics on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn . Contacts Josh George jgeorge@spectrumscience.com 713-828-1913

OXFORD, UK and CLEVELAND, Ohio, US, 24th September 2024 – The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (‘OHC’), a partnership between the University of Oxford, UK and Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio, aimed at delivering cutting-edge rare disease breakthroughs, is pleased to announce it is hosting its bi-annual Symposium today through 26th September 2024, at Trinity College, University of Oxford. The event will bring together leaders from academia, biotech, pharma, venture capital, philanthropy and patient groups to connect, engage and update the diverse and growing rare disease community. The Symposium explores how cutting-edge research, innovative treatment strategies, and collaboration is driving the development of effective therapies for rare diseases. Symposium 2024 Highlights: The three-day in-person event begins with Opening Remarks from Professor Matthew Wood, Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the OHC, and Sir John Bell, President, Ellison Institute of Technology, and Chair of the OHC Advisory CouncilAn Opening Session features Baroness Nicola Blackwood, Chair, Genomics England, Member of the House of Lords, and the OHC’s Advisory Council Further notable speakers will include Jonathan S. Stamler, MD, President and co-Founder, Harrington Discovery Institute and Member of the OHC Steering CommitteeJulia Vitarello, Founder & CEO, Mila’s Miracle FoundationProfessor Fyodor Urnov, Professor of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley Other sessions examine critical topics in rare diseases, such as therapeutic genomics, drug development exemplars, lifelong therapies for neuromuscular diseases, and paediatric cancer. These sessions will showcase the latest research and innovations shaping the future of rare disease therapeutics. The Symposium programme, available here, also offers updates on the OHC’s Therapeutics Accelerator, launched on October 3, 2023. This groundbreaking initiative, backed by up to £200 million in funding, operates under a unique non-profit/for-profit model through a partnership with Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals of Cleveland, University of Oxford, and Oxford Science Enterprises. A highlight of the Accelerator at this year’s Symposium is AlveoGene, an innovative company pioneering inhaled gene therapy for rare respiratory diseases. This session will feature David Hipkiss (Executive Chair). Matthew Wood, Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the OHC, commented: “This year’s Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Symposium is a unique opportunity to bring the international rare disease community together to recognise scientific progress and innovation and foster collaboration among leaders in the field. I am delighted to welcome global leaders from academia, industry, government, and patient advocacy to come together with a shared commitment to translating science into tangible outcomes for rare disease patients and their families.” *** Notes to Editors About Rare DiseasesMore than 400 million people worldwide are living with a rare disease, and approximately 50 percent are children. There are about 7,000 known rare diseases, with new diseases being discovered every day. A rare disease affects one in 10 Americans, or 10 percent of the US population. Similarly, Europe has approximately 30 million people who suffer from a rare disease. The majority of all rare diseases are genetic in origin, which means they are present throughout a person’s life. Only five percent of rare diseases have a treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and similar estimates have been made for treatments approved by the European Medicine Agency (EMA). Therefore, someone with a rare disease today faces a lifelong, often life-threatening, condition with little hope for a cure, or even an effective treatment option. About Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease CentreThe Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (OHC) is a partnership between the University of Oxford, UK and Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals, in Cleveland, Ohio, US. The OHC combines world-leading strengths in research and therapeutics development from across these organizations to set the science and innovation agenda and drive cutting-edge rare disease breakthroughs to address the unmet need in rare diseases across the globe to deliver major clinical impact for patients. For more information, visit: OxfordHarrington.org | LinkedIn | X About the University of OxfordThe University of Oxford is rated the best in the world for medicine and life sciences, and it is home to the UK’s top-ranked medical school. It has one of the largest clinical trial portfolios in the UK and great expertise in taking discoveries from the lab into the clinic. Partnerships with the local NHS Trusts enable patients to benefit from close links between medical research and healthcare delivery. The University of Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division is one of the largest biomedical research centres in Europe, with over 2,500 people involved in research and more than 2,800 students. For more information, visit: www.ox.ac.uk About Harrington Discovery InstituteThe Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio – part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development – is a translational accelerator that advances promising discoveries from academic labs into the clinic for the benefit of patients and society. The institute was created in 2012 with a $50 million founding gift from the Harrington family and is a prime example of the commitment they share with University Hospitals to a Vision for a ‘Better World’. For more information, visit: HarringtonDiscovery.org| LinkedIn | X Media contacts: UK/ EU – MEDiSTRAVA Sylvie Berrebi / Mark SwallowOHC@medistrava.com US – For University HospitalsAnsley Kelmansley.kelm@UHhospitals.org