NextPoint Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a new world of precision immuno-oncology, announced today that Axel Hoos, MD, PhD, has joined the NextPoint Board of Directors. Dr. Hoos currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Scorpion Therapeutics and brings a wealth of business, entrepreneurial and biopharmaceutical research and development expertise to the role.

“Dr. Hoos is a recognized pioneer in immuno-oncology and has shaped the checkpoint therapeutic landscape through his work on a new development paradigm for IO medicines and the development of the anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab, the first FDA-approved checkpoint immunotherapy,” commented Detlev Biniszkiewicz, PhD, CEO of NextPoint Therapeutics. “Our team will benefit greatly from Dr. Hoos’ expertise and perspective as we advance our novel immuno-oncology programs targeting the HHLA2 pathway to the clinic.”

“Immuno-oncology has become a critical component in our treatment armamentarium for cancer patients, and scientists are seeking the next breakthrough medicine to further expand its reach. I am looking forward to working with the executive team and fellow Board members to help NextPoint realize its promise to deliver the next IO breakthrough,” said Dr. Hoos. “NextPoint's work on the HHLA2 pathway has the potential to expand the reach of precision immuno-oncology to a range of patients who do not benefit from currently available therapies.”

Prior to becoming CEO of Scorpion, Dr. Hoos served as Senior Vice President, R&D Governance Chair, and Therapeutic Area Head for Oncology at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK). In that role, Dr. Hoos built the Oncology business across all therapeutic modalities in the focus areas of immuno-oncology, synthetic lethality, tumor cell targeting, epigenetics, and cell & gene therapy. He is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Director on the Board of TCR², and member of the Scientific Advisory Board and Co-Director of the Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium at the Cancer Research Institute. Dr. Hoos received his MD in Medicine from Heidelberg University, and his PhD in Molecular Oncology from the German Cancer Research Center. He trained in general surgery at the Technical University of Munich and as a fellow in cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

About NextPoint Therapeutics

NextPoint is advancing the field of immuno-oncology through its leading scientific work on the novel HHLA2 pathway. Our innovative approach integrates foundational science with a defined clinical biomarker to deliver a new class of monotherapies for patients who will not benefit from PD-1/L1 inhibitors. Our team of proven drug developers is working closely with our renowned scientific founders to launch a new world of precision immuno-oncology. To learn more, visit nextpointtx.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230314005035/en/