Pyxis Oncology Appoints Thomas Civik as Interim CEO to Advance MICVO Cancer Therapy Development
核心洞察
Pyxis Oncology has appointed Thomas Civik, a seasoned biotechnology executive with extensive oncology experience, as Interim CEO following the departure of Dr. Lara Sullivan.
The leadership transition aims to maintain continuity for the company's lead program MICVO (搜索), a first-in-concept antibody-drug conjugate targeting head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
MICVO (搜索) continues advancing through Phase 1 clinical studies as both monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab, having received FDA Fast Track Designation.
Pyxis Oncology announced a strategic leadership transition with the appointment of Thomas Civik as Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company made the announcement as it continues advancing its lead cancer therapy program through critical clinical development phases.
Civik, who has served on Pyxis Oncology's Board of Directors since the company's IPO, replaces Dr. Lara S. Sullivan, who stepped down from her roles as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer. The transition comes as the company maintains focus on its lead therapeutic candidate, micvotabart pelidotin (MICVO (搜索)), currently in Phase 1 clinical studies.
Experienced Leadership for Critical Development Phase
The new interim CEO brings extensive oncology development and commercialization experience to guide the company's strategic priorities. Civik most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Five Prime Therapeutics (搜索), where he led the company through its acquisition by Amgen for $1.9 billion in April 2021.
Prior to Five Prime Therapeutics (搜索), Civik held the position of Chief Commercial Officer at Foundation Medicine, where he drove significant growth and oversaw the launch of the first FDA-approved pan-cancer comprehensive genomic profiling test. His career also includes 17 years at Genentech, where he held leadership roles with responsibility for several cornerstone oncology therapies, including Avastin, Tecentriq, Alecensa, and Tarceva.
"As we move forward, I am committed to ensuring that we put our collective efforts towards evaluating the potential of MICVO (搜索) in a timely fashion," said Thomas Civik, Interim Chief Executive Officer. "Pyxis Oncology has built a strong scientific and clinical foundation, and we remain confident in the potential of our lead program."
MICVO Program Continues Clinical Advancement
The company's lead program, micvotabart pelidotin (MICVO (搜索)), represents a first-in-concept antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets extradomain-B of fibronectin (搜索) (EDB+FN (搜索)), a non-cellular structural component of the tumor extracellular matrix. EDB+FN is selectively overexpressed in the tumor microenvironment of a wide range of solid tumors and largely absent from normal adult tissues.
MICVO (搜索) is designed to treat solid tumors through a three-pronged mechanism of action: direct tumor cell killing, bystander effect and immunogenic cell death. The therapeutic candidate is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical studies in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) and other solid tumors.
The clinical development program includes both monotherapy studies in second-line and later R/M HNSCC patients, as well as a Phase 1/2 study evaluating MICVO (搜索) in combination with Merck (搜索)'s anti-PD-1 (搜索) therapy, pembrolizumab, in first-line and second-line R/M HNSCC patients.
Regulatory Recognition and Strategic Focus
MICVO (搜索) has received Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of adult patients with R/M HNSCC whose disease has progressed following treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy and an anti-PD(L)-1 therapy. This designation reflects the FDA's recognition of the potential to address an unmet medical need in this patient population.
John Flavin, Chairman of the Board of Pyxis Oncology, emphasized the strategic nature of the leadership appointment: "The Board has appointed Tom as Interim CEO to ensure strong leadership and continuity. Tom brings decades of proven experience across oncology development, commercialization, and company building. As a long-term and current Director, he has a deep understanding of Pyxis Oncology's science and strategy."
The Board of Directors has initiated a structured search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer while maintaining operational continuity. The company's established clinical development leadership team will continue to execute ongoing trials and operational priorities without interruption.
Dr. Sullivan, who led the company for six years, expressed confidence in the transition: "I have had the honor to lead Pyxis Oncology over the last six years and am proud of the progress the team has made in advancing MICVO (搜索). I am confident in the leadership team's track record of expertise advancing later stage oncology assets and their ability to lead MICVO through its next stage of clinical development."