Acrivon Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACRV) has appointed Dr. Mansoor Raza Mirza as Chief Medical Officer effective April 9, 2025. Dr. Mirza, a world-renowned oncologist specializing in gynecologic malignancies, will lead the company's clinical development programs, including the ongoing Phase 2b registrational-intent trial of ACR-368 in endometrial cancer and the Phase 1 study of ACR-2316 in selected solid tumors.
Dr. Mirza brings decades of experience in clinical research and patient care, most recently serving as chief oncologist at Copenhagen University National Medical Center in Denmark. He is also the medical director of the Nordic Society of Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Trial Unit and holds leadership positions in several prestigious organizations, including vice-president of the European Society of Gynecological Oncology.
"I am very impressed with the promising clinical activity observed with ACR-368, the rapid progress of ACR-2316, and the differentiated capabilities of the AP3 platform that are fueling further innovation and programs at Acrivon," said Dr. Mirza. "The data generated thus far for ACR-368 in patients who have all progressed after prior anti-PD-1 and platinum-based chemotherapy are highly encouraging. Having led many successful trials and regulatory submissions, I firmly believe this agent has the potential to become an important new treatment for advanced endometrial cancer."
Advancing Precision Oncology Programs
Acrivon's lead candidate, ACR-368 (also known as prexasertib), is a selective small molecule inhibitor targeting CHK1 and CHK2 currently in a potentially registrational Phase 2b trial focusing on endometrial cancer. The company has received Fast Track designation from the FDA for the investigation of ACR-368 as monotherapy based on OncoSignature-predicted sensitivity in patients with endometrial cancer.
The company's second clinical-stage asset, ACR-2316, is a novel, potent, selective WEE1/PKMYT1 inhibitor designed for superior single-agent activity. According to Dr. Mirza, this compound has shown clinical activity during the dose escalation phase of its ongoing Phase 1 study.
Peter Blume-Jensen, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer, president, and founder of Acrivon, expressed enthusiasm about Dr. Mirza joining the company: "Mansoor is globally recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the clinical development of novel ovarian and endometrial cancer therapies, and we look forward to his leadership of our ongoing Phase 2b study of ACR-368 as it advances towards potential registration, and our rapidly advancing ACR-2316 Phase 1 clinical trial."
Distinguished Career in Oncology
Dr. Mirza has authored numerous publications in prestigious journals, including seven articles in the New England Journal of Medicine, four as first author. He has served as the principal investigator for several Phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials and has been a lead investigator for multiple trials leading to regulatory approvals.
His contributions include the PARP inhibitor Zejula for ovarian cancer and a new frontline therapy for endometrial cancer that combines platinum-based chemotherapy with an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor. He has also contributed to the development of national guidelines for the management of endometrial and other gynecologic cancers.
Dr. Mirza earned his medical degree with honors in 1985 from the Pirogov Moscow State Medical Institute, followed by diplomas in surgery and clinical oncology. He later completed postgraduate education in clinical oncology at the University of Southern Denmark and holds licenses to practice medical and radiation oncology in Denmark.
Proprietary Technology Platform
Acrivon utilizes its proprietary Acrivon Predictive Precision Proteomics (AP3) platform for the discovery, design, and development of drug candidates. The AP3 platform measures compound-specific effects on the entire tumor cell protein signaling network and drug-induced resistance mechanisms, generating high-resolution quantitative data for pathway-based drug design, indication finding, and response prediction.
This technology enables the creation of drug-specific proprietary OncoSignature companion diagnostics that identify patients most likely to benefit from Acrivon's drug candidates. The FDA has granted Breakthrough Device designations for the ACR-368 OncoSignature assay for identifying endometrial cancer patients who may benefit from ACR-368 treatment.
With Dr. Mirza's appointment, the company's current chief medical officer, Jean-Marie Cuillerot, M.D., will depart on April 9, 2025.
"My mission at Acrivon will be to ensure that every patient in need can benefit from the company's impressive and growing pipeline of therapies," Dr. Mirza stated. "I look forward to working with the team to advance ACR-368 and additional clinical programs through regulatory submissions and potential approvals."
