CatalYm Overhauls Leadership Team to Accelerate Late-Stage Development of Cancer Immunotherapy

German biotech firm CatalYm has announced a significant restructuring of its executive team, bringing in four industry veterans while bidding farewell to three long-standing leaders. The move is aimed at expediting the late-stage development of the company's promising cancer immunotherapy candidate, visugromab.

New Leadership to Drive Clinical Progress

CatalYm has appointed Sujata Rao, M.D., as its new Chief Medical Officer, replacing Eugen Leo, M.D., who is stepping down after nearly seven years in the role. Dr. Rao, formerly CMO at Insilico Medicine, brings extensive experience from Bristol Myers Squibb, Onyx, Eli Lilly, and ARMO Biosciences.

Clinton Musil, an ARMO Biosciences alumnus, has been named Chief Business and Chief Financial Officer, taking over from Anne Burger. Musil's prior roles include CFO and CEO positions at Skyhawk Therapeutics.

Heike Krupka, Ph.D., joins as Chief Development Officer, leveraging her leadership experience in oncology, hematology, and cell therapy from Bristol Myers, Pfizer, and Genentech. Andrea Goddard, who recently assumed the role of Chief Technology Officer, rounds out the new leadership quartet with her technical and operational expertise from Roche and Genentech.

Visugromab: A Promising Cancer Immunotherapy

The leadership changes are strategically aligned with CatalYm's focus on accelerating the development of visugromab, a monoclonal antibody targeting GDF-15. The drug candidate has shown promise in early clinical trials, particularly in combination with anti-PD-1 inhibitors.

A phase 1/2 trial of visugromab demonstrated "deep and durable responses" across various solid tumor types while maintaining a favorable safety profile. The company is now preparing to launch multiple phase 2b studies, including trials in first-line metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and cachexia, a wasting syndrome often associated with advanced cancer.

Financial Backing and Global Expansion

CatalYm's ambitious clinical program is supported by a substantial financial foundation. In 2024, the company secured $150 million in a series D funding round, with backing from prominent investors including Canaan Partners, Forbion Growth, Omega Funds, Jeito Capital, Novartis Venture Fund, and Vesalius.

The Munich-based biotech has also expanded its geographical footprint, establishing a presence in San Francisco to complement its German headquarters. This expansion, coupled with the infusion of international expertise from the new leadership team, positions CatalYm to accelerate its global development initiatives.