Mission Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) to treat cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases, announces that Dr Colin Goddard has been appointed as non-executive Chairman, effective January 1st 2017. Dr Colin Goddard joined the board of Mission Therapeutics as a non-executive Director in July 2015. Michael Moore, Mission’s Founder Chairman, will continue on the board and transition to the role of Deputy Chairman.
Dr Michael Moore, Mission Therapeutics retiring Chairman, said: “On behalf of the Board, it gives me great pleasure to welcome Colin in his new role as the Company progresses to the next phase of its evolution. I look forward to continuing to work with him and the Board of Directors as, together with an outstanding management team we continue to shape the Company’s strategy. Colin’s timely accession extents the business reach of Mission commensurate with the significant advances in R&D.”
Dr Colin Goddard, newly appointed Chairman of Mission Therapeutics, added: “I would like to thank Michael for his guidance and support since joining the Board and I look forward to working with the Executive team and my Board colleagues as we build on Mission’s achievements to date. I firmly believe that the Company’s innovative DUB platform can yield transformational, first in class new therapies that address a broad range of unmet clinical needs.”
Dr Anker Lundemose, CEO of Mission Therapeutics, said: “We would like to thank Michael for his robust support and broad expertise during the formative period of the Company and for his role in nurturing the establishment of a powerful drug discovery platform and emerging product pipeline. Colin has a long track record of leadership and success in the industry including as Executive Chairman and CEO of both public and private US biopharma companies and we look forward to leveraging his experience as we exploit our pipeline and transition into a clinical stage company.”
Prior to joining Mission Therapeutics, Dr Goddard was Chief Executive Officer of OSI Pharmaceuticals. He joined the company as a research scientist in 1989 and led the transformation from a technology platform services company into a profitable fully integrated biopharmaceutical organisation, becoming CEO in 1998. He was pivotal in the registration and launch of OSI’s targeted therapeutic product, Tarceva (erlotinib) and also directed the Company’s financing, corporate development and acquisition strategies, completing several major acquisitions and divestitures and raising over $1.5bn in capital. OSI was acquired by Astellas Pharma Inc. in June 2010 for $4bn.
Dr Goddard obtained his PhD in cancer pharmacology from the University of Aston in Birmingham, UK and worked at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, before joining OSI. He currently serves as Chairman & CEO of US based Biotech company, BlinkBio, Inc and as a Director on the boards of Endocyte Inc (NASDAQ: ECYT). He was formerly a Director at Human Genome Sciences Inc.
