VERAXA Biotech AG (NASDAQ: VRXA) announced the appointment of Christoph Erkel, Ph.D., as chief scientific officer, effective immediately. Erkel, previously vice president of research and development, will lead advancement of the company’s proprietary BiTAC(R) platform technologies for the development of cancer therapies targeting solid tumors. He succeeds Rick Austin, Ph.D., who will depart following a transition period.
Erkel brings two decades of experience in antibody therapeutics, antibody engineering and preclinical development, including prior leadership roles at MorphoSys AG, where he led immuno-oncology programs focused on T-cell engagers. VERAXA said his experience managing multidisciplinary research programs will support efforts to expand the company’s oncology pipeline and advance BiTAC(R) candidates toward clinical development. The appointment underscores VERAXA's commitment to accelerating its pipeline of bispecific T cell engagers and other innovative antibody-based therapeutics.
The BiTAC(R) platform is central to VERAXA's strategy for developing next-generation cancer therapies. According to the company, BiTAC(R) is a registered trademark of VERAXA Biotech GmbH, and the technology is designed to engage T cells to target and eliminate solid tumors. With Erkel at the helm of R&D, the company aims to leverage his expertise to overcome challenges in solid tumor treatment and move candidates from discovery into clinical trials.
For more information, see the full press release at https://nnw.fm/cR1RS.
VERAXA Biotech AG (NASDAQ: VRXA) is building a premier engine for the discovery and development of next-generation antibody-based therapeutics, including bispecific T cell engagers, bispecific ADCs and other innovative formats. Powered by a suite of transformative technologies and guided by rigorous quality-by-design principles, the company is rapidly advancing its pipeline of ADCs and proprietary BiTAC formats into clinical development and beyond. VERAXA was founded on scientific breakthroughs made at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), a world-renowned institution known for pioneering life science research and cutting-edge technology.
The latest news and updates relating to VRXA are available in the company’s newsroom at http://nnw.fm/VRXA.
