TCR² Therapeutics Announces Commercial Cell Therapy Leader Shawn Tomasello Joins its Board of Directors
February 04 2021 - 8:00AM
TCR2 Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: TCRR) (“TCR2” or the “Company”), a
clinical-stage immunotherapy company with a pipeline of novel T
cell therapies for patients suffering from cancer, today announced
the appointment of Shawn Tomasello to its Board of Directors. With
more than 35 years of broad commercial and medical affairs
experience in the biotechnology industry, Ms. Tomasello has
successfully built and led commercial operations at several
companies, including Pharmacyclics, Celgene and Genentech. Her most
recent role as Chief Commercial Officer at Kite Pharma involved
establishing the infrastructure for manufacture and launch of
T-cell therapy Yescarta® for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“Shawn has an outstanding track record in
overseeing commercial and medical affairs efforts at significant
oncology companies that will be invaluable to our leadership team
at TCR2 as we near the advancement of gavo-cel into Phase 2
clinical trials,” said Garry Menzel, Ph.D., President and Chief
Executive Officer of TCR2 Therapeutics. “As with all of our board
members, she is specifically an expert in the field of cell therapy
and will help us make the right decisions as we broaden the use of
our unique TRuC platform by expanding our novel pipeline and
establish a larger commercial footprint to support that growth. We
are delighted to welcome her to the team and accelerate our quest
to provide meaningful therapies to cancer patients.”
Ms. Tomasello served as the Chief Commercial
Officer of Kite Pharma, where she oversaw the global
commercialization of Yescarta, from 2015 to 2018 including through
its acquisition by Gilead for $11.9 billion in October 2017. She
was previously Chief Commercial Officer at Pharmacyclics, where she
led commercial and medical affairs activities for Imbruvica®, a
first-in-class treatment for hematologic malignancies, from August
2014 until its acquisition by AbbVie for $21.0 billion in August
2015. Prior to Pharmacyclics, Ms. Tomasello served in leading
commercial roles with multiple major pharmaceutical companies,
including Celgene as President of the Americas Hematology and
Oncology, where she led the company through five successful product
launches encompassing 11 indications and played a critical role in
acquisitions. Ms. Tomasello received her B.S. in Marketing from the
University of Cincinnati and her M.B.A. from Murray State
University in Kentucky.
“With their leading TRuC platform and excellent
early solid tumor clinical data, TCR2 is well positioned to become
one of the next integral companies in the evolution of cell
therapies and I am thrilled to become a member of their Board of
Directors,” said Ms. Tomasello. “The degree of innovation in the
TCR2 pipeline supports the breadth of opportunities beyond the
early promise of gavo-cel with solid tumors overexpressing
mesothelin. I look forward to offering my insights in cell therapy
and commercial strategy as the company continues its rapid
progress.”
About TCR2
Therapeutics
TCR2 Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage
immunotherapy company developing a pipeline of novel T cell
therapies for patients suffering from solid tumors and
hematological malignancies. TCR2’s proprietary T cell receptor
(TCR) Fusion Construct T cells (TRuC®-T cells) specifically
recognize and kill cancer cells by harnessing signaling from the
entire TCR, independent of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). In
preclinical studies, TRuC-T cells have demonstrated superior
anti-tumor activity compared to chimeric antigen receptor T cells
(CAR-T cells), while exhibiting lower levels of cytokine release.
The Company’s lead TRuC-T cell product candidate targeting solid
tumors, TC-210, is currently being studied in a Phase 1/2 clinical
trial to treat patients with mesothelin-positive non-small cell
lung cancer (NSCLC), ovarian cancer, malignant pleural/peritoneal
mesothelioma, and cholangiocarcinoma. The Company’s lead TRuC-T
cell product candidate targeting hematological malignancies,
TC-110, is currently being studied in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial to
treat patients with CD19-positive adult acute lymphoblastic
leukemia (aALL) and with aggressive or indolent non-Hodgkin
lymphoma (NHL).
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking
statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The use of
words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “expects,”
“intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,”
“predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “endeavor,” “potential,”
“continue” or the negative of such words or other similar
expressions can be used to identify forward-looking statements. Any
forward-looking statements in this press release are based on
management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a
number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause
actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this
press release, including, without limitation, express or implied
statements regarding the therapeutic potential of gavo-cel, future
clinical and pre-clinical development plans for the Company’s
TRuC-T cells, their potential characteristics, applications and
clinical utility, and the potential therapeutic applications of the
Company’s TRuC-T cell platform. These and other risks and
uncertainties are described in greater detail in the section
entitled “Risk Factors” in TCR2’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed
on March 30, 2020, as updated by its most recent Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q and its other filings made with the SEC from time to
time, including those contained or incorporated by reference in the
preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus
related to the public offering filed with the SEC. Although
TCR2's forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment
of its management, these statements are based only on facts and
factors currently known by TCR2. As a result, you are cautioned not
to rely on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking
statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date on
which it is made. TCR2 undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future developments or otherwise.
Investor and Media Contact:
Carl MauchDirector, Investor Relations and
Corporate CommunicationsTCR2 Therapeutics Inc.(617)
949-5667carl.mauch@tcr2.com
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