Ona Therapeutics, a global biotech company pioneering first-in-class antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), has appointed Dr. Antoine Yver, M.D., M.Sc., as Chair of its Board of Directors. The strategic appointment marks a defining step in the company's growth as it prepares to advance its lead ADC, ONA-255, into clinical trials for breast cancer treatment in early 2026.
Veteran Leadership with Proven ADC Track Record
With over 35 years of leadership in global oncology drug development, Dr. Yver has held senior executive roles at industry leaders including Daiichi Sankyo, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck. He has played a key role in advancing and securing regulatory approvals for 13 landmark cancer therapies, including breakthrough medicines such as ENHERTU, TAGRISSO, and LYNPARZA, all of which have transformed standards of care for patients worldwide.
At Daiichi Sankyo, Dr. Yver served as Global Head of Oncology R&D, and at AstraZeneca, he led the oncology development programs. His leadership in bringing ENHERTU, a pioneering ADC for breast cancer, from initial first-in-human clinical studies to global approval, exemplifies his deep expertise and will be invaluable to Ona as it advances its innovative ADC pipeline toward clinical development.
Strategic Vision for Clinical Development
Valerie Vanhooren, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Ona Therapeutics, emphasized the appointment's significance: "Antoine's unparalleled experience in advancing first-in-class oncology drugs at lightning speed from translational research through global approval will be critical as we advance our lead candidate, ONA-255, into clinical development in breast cancer. Equally important is our commitment to progressing our second ADC, ONA-389, targeting microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, both high-unmet-need indications with significant market potential."
Dr. Yver currently serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Sanofi, where he contributes strategic and scientific insight at the governance level. He also serves on the boards of several oncology-focused companies, as well as the scientific advisory committee for Gustave Roussy Cancer Institute, further demonstrating his broad scientific and business influence and commitment to advancing cancer therapies.
Innovative ADC Pipeline Targeting Unmet Needs
Ona's proprietary patient-based discovery platform uniquely unlocks new biological targets that are not exploited by current ADCs or standard therapies, giving the company a significant competitive edge. Its lead candidate, ONA-255, targets a unique first-in-class mechanism and is perfectly suited for the treatment of advanced cancers, particularly breast cancer. This candidate is advancing toward clinical trials in early 2026 and is also demonstrating broad potential across breast, gastric, and other solid tumors.
The company's second candidate, ONA-389, is focused on high-unmet-need indications such as MSS colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Together, these programs underscore Ona's innovative approach to developing transformative therapies for difficult-to-treat solid tumors.
Clinical Impact and Market Opportunity
Dr. Yver highlighted the clinical significance of the appointment: "Breast cancer remains the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide. Having witnessed firsthand the transformative impact ADCs can have for the treatment paradigm of breast cancer and the direct clinical benefit for patients, I recognize the compelling potential of Ona's approach in identifying novel tumor targets in breast cancer and other major solid tumors."
The new Chair emphasized his commitment to ensuring clinical readiness and guiding swift, focused, and effective development strategy to support the team in executing and advancing its pipeline and bringing next-generation ADCs to the patients who need them most.
