NEW YORK, NY– Tarus Therapeutics Inc., an innovative biotechnology company developing adenosine receptor antagonists for cancer immunotherapy and select non-oncology indications, today announced the appointments of David R. Epstein and C. David Nicholson, PhD, to its Board of Directors, effective May 14, 2020.
David Epstein is executive partner at Flagship Pioneering and Chairman of Axcella Health, Rubius Therapeutics and Evelo Biosciences. From 2010 to mid-2016 he served as Chief Executive Officer of Novartis Pharmaceuticals, a division of Novartis AG. Previously, David started and led Novartis’ Oncology and Molecular Diagnostic units. Under his leadership, the company’s oncology business grew to the second largest in the world.
David has more than 25 years of extensive drug development, deal-making, commercialization and leadership experience on a global scale. Over the course of his career, he led the development and commercialization of over 30 new molecular entities, including major breakthroughs such as Glivec®, Tasigna®, Gilenya®, Cosentyx® and Entresto®. His teams developed three Prix Galien award winners and he has developed and steered several successful executive teams. David was named by FierceBiotech as one of the “25 most influential people in biopharma.”
“I am most impressed with the potential of Tarus’s adenosine antagonist compounds to be proven to be best in class,” said David Epstein. “I look forward to the filing of these near term INDs and the start of clinical programs.”
Dr. Nicholson has over forty years of experience in research and development in the pharmaceutical industry spanning senior leadership roles at Allergan, Bayer CropScience, Schering-Plough, Organon and Merck. David was Chief R&D Officer at Allergan prior to its acquisition by AbbVie in May 2020, and also serves on the Board of Directors of Science Exchange and Actinium Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Nicholson joined Allergan (then Actavis) in August 2014 as Senior Vice President, Global Brands R&D. Previously he was on the Executive Committee of Bayer CropScience as Head of R&D responsible for the integration of the company’s activities into one global organization.
Dr. Nicholson also worked with Beecham-Wülfing, Germany, and held various senior positions at Organon, a Business Unit of Akzo Nobel, where he was Executive Vice President, Research & Development, and member of the Organon Executive Management Committee. David played a significant role in the strategic merger of Organon BioSciences, the human and animal health business of Dutch chemical giant Akzo-Nobel, and Schering-Plough in 2007, as well as the merger of Schering-Plough and Merck in 2009.
“I am delighted to join the Board of Tarus Therapeutics,” said Dr Nicholson. “And look forward to seeing the full potential of their range of adenosine receptor antagonists being developed.”
“We are very pleased to welcome David Epstein and David Nicholson, with their highly distinguished careers in the life sciences industry, to our Board of Directors”, added Sushant Kumar, PhD, President and CEO of Tarus Therapeutics, Inc. “We look forward to their valuable contributions as we advance the Company’s adenosine receptor antagonist programs towards clinical trials for cancer immunotherapy and other select non-oncology indications.”
About Tarus Therapeutics Inc.
Tarus is developing small molecule inhibitors of A2AR, A2BR, and Dual A2AR/A2BR inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy and select non-oncology indications. The Company has the most comprehensive portfolio of adenosine receptor antagonists in development, with both first-in-class and best-in-class programs. More information can be found at www.tarustx.com.