XBiotech Announces Additions To Its Scientific Advisory Board


AUSTIN, Texas, April 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XBiotech Inc. (NASDAQ:XBIT) is pleased to announce the appointments of four leading physicians to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) specializing in Oncology: Dr. Thierry André, Head of Medical Oncology Department, St. Antoine Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris; Dr. George Fisher of Stanford University; Dr. Andrew Hendifar, Co-Director of Cedars-Sinai; Dr. Alexander Knuth, Professor Emeritus University of Zurich; and Dr. Razelle Kurzrock, Chief of Hematology & Oncology, UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Dr. Alexander Knuth commented, “I have been delighted to follow XBiotech’s remarkable portfolio and growth over the years. XBiotech has developed an entirely new class of cancer therapeutics. Targeting inflammatory pathways in cancer patients with truly human derived monoclonal antibodies is proven to stabilize disease and improve performance and quality of life, even in heavily pretreated patients with advanced disease. As an oncologist, I recognize the urgent need for effective therapies without the toxicities encountered with most established cancer therapeutics. I am honored to formally serve as an advisor with my esteemed colleagues to help bring this important new treatment modality to cancer patients in need.”

XBiotech’s SAB Members in Oncology Include:

  • Thierry André, M.D. Dr. André is currently Professor of Medical Oncology at the University Pierre et Marie Curie (UMPC), Paris VI, and Head of the Medical Oncology Department in St. Antoine Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris. He is the Founding member and General Secretary of the GERCOR (Multidisciplinary Oncology Research Group) and leads the colorectal task force of GERCOR and also serves as a Member of the Adjuvant Colon Cancer Endpoints (ACCENT) group. Dr. André’s main research interest is in gastrointestinal malignancies. Dr. André is a member of several scientific organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and was chairman of the GI Cancer Board for Research of the French National Institute (INCA).
  • George A. Fisher, Jr. M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Fisher is a medical oncologist and gastrointestinal specialist and is the Colleen Haas Chair at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Fisher has been the National Chair of XBiotech’s Phase III study since evaluating the Company’s lead antibody product candidate for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. His clinical and research interests are focused on gastrointestinal malignancies, combined modality therapy in gastric, esophageal, pancreas and rectal cancers, immunotherapy, and translational research. He is a member of the Stanford Cancer Institute and has held numerous administrative appointments at the Stanford University School of Medicine including Director for the Cancer Clinical Trials Office.
  • Andrew Hendifar, M.D. Dr. Hendifar is the Co-Director of Pancreas Oncology and Medical Oncology Lead for Gastrointestinal Disease Research at Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Hendifar has been an important Principal Investigator in XBiotech’s Phase III study for colorectal cancer, where he has made important clinical observations in patients. Dr. Hendifar is performing pioneering work in the development of new approaches to treat and evaluate therapies in pancreatic cancer. His work to elucidate the importance of body mass index and biomarkers as prognosticators in cancer is providing new insight on the importance of new measures in disease management and therapeutic strategies. Dr. Hendifar's findings have been published in prestigious journals, including the LancetCancerJournal of Clinical Oncology, and Clinical Cancer Research. Dr. Hendifar has displayed deep subject-matter knowledge in presentations for organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 
  • Alexander Knuth, M.D. Dr. Knuth is a medical oncologist with a long research interest and major contributions to cancer immunology. For years, Dr. Knuth worked closely with Dr. Lloyd Old and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, pioneering the characterization of tumor associated antigens and immunotherapies. Dr. Knuth is Professor Emeritus of the University of Zurich where he held the Chair of Internal Medicine/Oncology at the University Hospital (UZH) from 2003 until 2013. At UZH, Dr. Knuth used XBiotech’s candidate therapeutic antibody for colorectal cancer under compassionate protocols. Prior to heading oncology at UZH, Dr. Knuth was Chief Physician of Hematology & Oncology at Northwest Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. He has received many awards, including the prestigious Johann-Georg-Zimmermann Medal. Dr. Knuth is a member of the Cancer Research Institute’s (CRI) Scientific Advisory Council and is a member of CRI’s global clinical investigator network. Dr. Knuth is currently the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) and Chairman of Cancer Services at Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha, Qatar.
  • Razelle Kurzrock, M.D. Dr. Kurzrock is a medical oncologist and a renowned expert in precision medicine. She is a thought leader in the use of anti-cytokine therapies for the treatment of cancer and one of the first to recognize the importance of the interleukin-1 pathway in cancer. While at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Kurzrock built one of the most successful Phase 1 clinical trials programs in the nation, and was the senior author in the pioneering study for the Company’s colorectal cancer study. Dr. Kurzrock currently serves as Senior Deputy Center Director for Clinical Science, Director at the Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, Director of the Clinical Trials Office, and a Team Leader for Experimental Therapeutics at the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego. Dr. Kurzrock is also Chief of the Hematology & Oncology Division in the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

John Simard, President & CEO of XBiotech, commented, “It is more than gratifying to have these remarkable people share their knowledge and experience with us. We are indeed brought together by the common will to advance new therapies for cancer.”

About True Human™ Therapeutic Antibodies

XBiotech’s True Human™ antibodies are derived without modification from individuals who possess natural immunity to certain diseases. With discovery and clinical programs across multiple disease areas, XBiotech’s True Human antibodies have the potential to harness the body’s natural immunity to fight disease with increased safety, efficacy and tolerability.

About XBiotech
XBiotech is a fully integrated global biosciences company dedicated to pioneering the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic antibodies based on its True Human™ proprietary technology. XBiotech currently is advancing a robust pipeline of antibody therapies to redefine the standards of care in oncology, inflammatory conditions and infectious diseases. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, XBiotech also is leading the development of innovative biotech manufacturing technologies designed to more rapidly, cost-effectively and flexibly produce new therapies urgently needed by patients worldwide. For more information, visit www.xbiotech.com.

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