Charles Baum, M.D., Ph.D., who oversaw Mirati Therapeutics’ $5.8 billion sale to Bristol Myers Squibb last year, is taking the helm of young biotech Terremoto Biosciences.
Baum’s “extensive experience in drug development, and proven track record in advancing high-impact medicines, will be instrumental,” outgoing CEO Peter Thompson, M.D., said in a July 25 release. Thompson will retain his seat as board chairperson.
Baum, a trained physician-scientist, was the founder, president and CEO of oncology-focused Mirati. Before that, he helped develop cancer drugs at Pfizer and Schering-Plough.
Now, Baum will serve as CEO at Terremoto, a company developing small molecules to target disease-causing proteins—like those found in cancerous tumor cells—using covalent bonds. Existing therapies that use covalent bonds primarily target the amino acid cysteine. However, of the 20 amino acids that make up proteins, cysteine is the least common. Terremoto is instead targeting one of the essential amino acids, lysine, which is found in almost all proteins.
By targeting lysine and other amino acids, Terremoto hopes to treat previously undruggable diseases and create first-in-class medicines.
The biotech, based in South San Francisco, raised $75 million in series A funding in 2022. A little more than a year later, the biotech more than doubled that number in a $175 million series B.