-Dr. Tse’s Extensive Track Record in Oncology Early Clinical Development Will Strengthen CStone’s Core Competence as a Clinical Development Engine and Solidify CStone’s Position Among Leading Innovative Biopharma Companies in China
SUZHOU, China, Dec. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — CStone Pharmaceuticals, a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative immuno-oncology and molecularly targeted drugs, announced today the appointment of Archie Tse, M.D., Ph.D., as the newly established Senior Vice President, Chief Translational Medicine Officer (CTMO), reporting to Frank Jiang, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Tse has over 20 years of global oncology research and clinical development experience and will provide a strong addition to CStone’s senior leadership team.
In this role, Dr. Tse will be responsible for the development of assets at the early clinical development stage up to proof of concept (POC). He will oversee the development and implementation of clinical biomarkers to support progression of CStone’s pipelines. His in-depth understanding of the global oncology space will help further strengthen CStone’s core competence and solidify CStone’s position among leading innovative biopharma companies in China.
In May 2018, CStone successfully completed a USD 262 million financing round, which was the largest Series B funding in the history of China biopharma industry at the time. Currently, CStone has eight clinical stage assets with four at or near registration trial. CS1001, China’s first fully human, full-length anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody developed by CStone, has initiated Phase III clinical studies, and will potentially become one of the first locally-developed anti-PD-L1 cancer drugs launched in China. In June 2018, CStone announced exclusive collaboration and license agreements with Blueprint Medicine and Agios. With these two deals, CStone in-licensed four post proof of concept assets, including ivosidenib, which received US FDA approval in July 2018, and avapritinib, which has entered global Phase III clinical studies and expects to file a US marketing application in H1 2019.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Tse join the team and bring his profound global oncology research and clinical development experience,” said Frank Jiang, M.D., Ph.D., “Archie is highly experienced in bridging preclinical and early clinical phases to improve overall success of drug development. As CStone’s CTMO, his leadership, expertise and extensive network are critical in helping us advance toward our goal of developing innovative drugs in China and global oncology space.”
Prior to joining CStone, Dr. Tse was the Executive Director of Global Oncology Early Development at Merck (known as MSD outside of US and Canada). Before that, Dr. Tse served as the leader of the Oncology Team of Excellence for Strategy in Therapeutic Area at Daiichi-Sankyo. Dr. Tse is a board-certified medical oncologist trained at the US Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) where he stayed on to become a faculty as Assistant Physician and Assistant Member. In that period, he was also an Assistant Professor at the MSKCC affiliated Weill Cornell Medical School.
Dr. Tse obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from the University of Southern California, United States.
“I am very impressed by CStone’s remarkably rapid progress in the establishment and clinical development of its broad oncology portfolio,” Dr. Tse said. “It is a great honor for me to join this promising company and work with its seasoned management team to drive the Company’s growth for the benefit of cancer patients in China and worldwide.”
About CSTONE
CStone Pharmaceuticals is a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative immuno-oncology and molecularly targeted drugs to address significant unmet medical needs for cancer patients in China and worldwide. Since company inception more than two years ago, CStone has assembled a world-class management team that has a full spectrum of complementary skillsets from preclinical research to clinical development and commercialization. Through a dual source of innovation, comprised of internal research and external partnership, the company has built a rich oncology pipeline of 14 drug candidates with significant mono- and combination-therapy potential and synergies, including 4 assets exclusively in-licensed from Agios and Blueprint Medicine. Among CStone’s portfolio, 4 late-stage drug candidates are at or near registrational trial. CStone’s business model has a clear focus on clinical development, while at the same time, the company is rapidly developing its commercial and manufacturing capabilities. The company is backed by prestigious VC and PE funds with record-breaking amounts of equity investment, raising a combined total of USD 412 million in two financing rounds to date. With an experienced team, a rich pipeline, a robust clinical development-driven business model, and substantial funding, CStone’s vision is to become globally recognized as a leading biopharma company by bringing innovative and differentiated oncology therapies to cancer patients in China and worldwide.
For more information about CStone Pharmaceuticals, please visit: www.cstonepharma.com.
