On April 22, 2020 Silverback Therapeutics ("Silverback") reported that Laura Shawver, Ph.D., was appointed president, chief executive officer and director of Silverback Therapeutics to lead the next phase of growth utilizing ImmunoTAC therapeutics that are administered systemically, tissue-directed, and locally active with a pipeline of programs in oncology, fibrosis and virology (Press release, Silverback Therapeutics, APR 22, 2020, View Source [SID1234556501]). Dr. Shawver brings more than 25 years of demonstrated success as a scientist, biotech leader and patient advocate to the role.
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"With her range of strategic expertise, demonstrated success raising capital, scientific acumen, and broad drug development experience, Laura is the perfect fit for Silverback," said Peter Thompson, MD, OrbiMed partner, co-founder and chairman of Silverback Therapeutics. "I, along with Silverback’s entire board, look forward to working with Laura and our exceptional leadership team to advance Silverback’s pipeline and deliver on the promise to dramatically improve the lives of patients."
"It’s an amazing opportunity to lead a team creating a new generation of therapies that can modulate previously impossible to treat pathways. Silverback is on the verge of entering clinical development with SBT6050, which maximizes the potential for an anti-tumor immune response in tumors lacking T cells," said Dr. Shawver. "Marrying the curative potential of IO treatment with the precision of targeted drugs is a major advancement. I look forward to marshalling the necessary resources to maximize the value of the ImmunoTAC platform for all the stakeholders."
Most recently, Dr. Shawver was CEO and director of Synthorx, Inc. from 2017 until its acquisition by Sanofi in January 2020 for $2.5 billion. Previously, she has held positions as CEO and director of Cleave Biosciences; entrepreneur-in-residence for 5AM Ventures; CEO and director of Phenomix Corporation; and president of SUGEN Inc. She is currently a director of Relay Therapeutics, as well as board chair of Cleave Therapeutics. She is an active member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper), serving on the Scientific Advisory Committee for Stand Up to Cancer. Dr. Shawver knows firsthand what it is like to be a cancer patient – having survived ovarian cancer, she founded The Clearity Foundation, a nonprofit organization helping women with ovarian cancer improve their treatment options. Dr. Shawver received her Ph.D. in pharmacology and a B.S. degree in microbiology from the University of Iowa.