SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA--(Marketwired - Sep 4, 2013) - Mirati Therapeutics (MRTX) today announced the appointment of Isan Chen, M.D., as chief medical and development officer as well as the appointment of Craig Johnson to its board of directors and as the chairman of the audit committee.
Dr. Chen is a Board certified hematologist and oncologist who was most recently chief medical officer of Aragon Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson earlier this year. At Mirati, Dr. Chen will be responsible for leading the clinical development of multiple compounds in the Mirati pipeline that target some of the most promising genetic and epigenetic pathways in oncology.
"Dr. Chen is an exceptional fit for Mirati's leadership that is built on expertise in targeted oncology, creativity in clinical development and a track record of successful oncology drug development," said Dr. Charles Baum, president and CEO of Mirati. "Together, the team is concentrating on innovative approaches to the development of our targeted oncology programs that focus on precisely defined patient populations. We are also pleased with the addition of Craig Johnson to our board of directors. Craig's biotechnology experience and financial background will be a valuable addition to the Mirati board."
At Aragon, Dr. Chen was responsible for the clinical development strategy of the company's programs, including prostate and breast cancer. Prior to Aragon, Dr. Chen served as vice president of tumor strategy in the oncology business unit at Pfizer. In addition, he was the clinical lead for sunitinib, a multiple kinase inhibitor for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, an indication in which the drug secured FDA approval in 2006. Before joining Pfizer, Dr. Chen practiced medicine as a staff physician at City of Hope Medical Center and later as an assistant professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Craig Johnson has served as chairman of the audit committee on the boards of multiple biotechnology companies including Ardea Biosciences and Adamis Pharmaceuticals. He has also served as chief financial officer of publicly traded life science companies including TorreyPines Therapeutics and NovaDel Pharma. Earlier in his career he practiced as a CPA with PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Rachel Humphrey, M.D., previous chief medical officer of Mirati, will be leaving the company to pursue other interests after a transition period. In addition, she will be acting as a consultant to the company following the transition period.
About Mirati Therapeutics
Mirati Therapeutics is a targeted oncology company developing an advanced pipeline of breakthrough medicines for precisely defined patient populations. Mirati's approach combines the three most important factors in oncology drug development - drug candidates with a spectrum of complementary and compelling targets, creative and agile clinical development, and a highly accomplished precision medicine leadership team. The Mirati team is using its proven blueprint for developing targeted oncology medicines to advance and maximize the value of its pipeline of drug candidates. More information is available at www.mirati.com.