FORT LEE, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nuvectis Pharma, Inc. (“Nuvectis”, “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative precision medicines for the treatment of serious conditions of unmet medical need in oncology, today announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board (“SAB”) comprised of world-renowned experts in translational science and clinical research that will help guide the Company’s research and development strategy. 

“As the evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of our pipeline products continues to grow, we are very pleased to collaborate with leading experts that can help us inform key decisions pertaining to our drug development strategy”, said Ron Bentsur, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nuvectis. Mr. Bentsur continued, “With access to the vast knowledge and expertise of our SAB members, we believe that we are on track to achieving our goals of developing novel treatment options for serious conditions of unmet medical need in oncology”. 

Scientific Advisory Board Members

Prof. Shannon N. Westin, MD, MPH

•  Director, Early Drug Development and Phase I Trials
•  Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine
•  The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Dr. Westin focuses on developmental therapeutics and the use of biomarkers to predict response and recurrence in gynecologic malignancies. She currently serves as the Director of Early Drug Development and Phase I trials in her department and is a Co-Director of the Ovarian Cancer Moonshot program. She is the co-PI for major projects in her institution’s Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (“SPORE”) in Uterine Cancer and SPORE in Ovarian Cancer. At her institution, she is currently the Principal Investigator or co-Principal-Investigator for several novel treatment trials in gynecologic malignancies. In addition to previously serving on the National Cancer Institute (“NCI”) Uterine Task Force and Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee (“GCSC”), she serves as a co-chair of the GCSC Ovarian Cancer Task Force and on the board of directors of the Society of Gynecology Oncology and Gynecologic Oncology Group Foundation.

Prof. Gordon B. Mills, MD, PhD

•  Director of Precision Oncology, Director of SMMART Trials 
•  The Wayne and Julie Drinkward Endowed Chair in Precision Oncology
•  The Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University (“OHSU”)

Dr. Mills is responsible for the implementation of an integrated program of tumor analysis, decision-making and implementation of novel precision oncology trials at the Knight Cancer Institute at OHSU. His laboratory studies have identified multiple novel drug combinations and has translated these to the clinic with a suite of clinical trials. Dr. Mills has served as principal investigator or project investigator on many national peer-reviewed grants including the National Institutes of Health ("NIH") and the National Cancer Institute ("NCI") SPORE team grants, Stand Up To Cancer, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, and Komen Foundation grants. His efforts have been recognized in the Komen Foundation’s Brinker Award for Scientific Excellence, the Finneran Family Prize for Translational Research, the American Association for Cancer Research (“AACR”) Team Science Award, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology Career Award for Innovative Research and has been elected to the AACR Academy.

Prof. Paul Workman, PhD, FRS

•  Harrap Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
•  The Institute of Cancer Research (“ICR”), London. 

Dr. Workman is renowned for his research on the discovery, chemical biology and molecular pharmacology of precision medicine cancer drugs and chemical probes. He is especially well known for his work on inhibitors of protein and lipid kinases, molecular chaperones, and the Heat Shock Factor 1 (“HSF1”) pathway, and his team at ICR was responsible for the discovery of NXP800. Dr. Workman served as the Chief Executive and President of the ICR from 2014 until 2021, and prior to that as its Deputy CEO (2011-2014). From 1997 until 2016 Dr. Workman was a Director of the Cancer Research UK (“CRUK”) Cancer Therapeutics Unit, one of the world’s largest academic cancer drug discovery groups, generating multiple clinical candidates. From 1993 until 1997, Dr. Workman was a member of the cancer drug discovery leadership team at Zeneca Pharmaceuticals (now AstraZeneca), and he has been a scientific founder of two biotechnology companies. Dr. Workman has won numerous awards, including the CRUK Translational Research Prize, the Royal Society of Chemistry World Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the American Association of Cancer Research Team Science Award. Dr Workman has been elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry, and the European Academy of Cancer Sciences, and he is a CRUK Life Fellow. In 2016, Dr Workman was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society – the UK’s national academy of science.

About Nuvectis

Nuvectis Pharma, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative precision medicines for the treatment of serious conditions of unmet medical needs in oncology. The Company's pipeline includes NXP800, a clinical-stage HSF1-pathway inhibitor, and NXP900, a SRC/YES1 kinase inhibitor in IND-enabling studies.

For more information, please visit www.nuvectis.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "contemplate," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "seek," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "aim," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Nuvectis Pharma, Inc.'s current expectations, estimates, and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects, business strategy, and financial needs. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and include statements regarding the preclinical data generated to date, and the preclinical and clinical expectations for NXP800 and NXP900 including NXP800's potential ability to become a therapeutic option for the treatment of ovarian and gastric carcinomas for patients with the ARID1a mutation. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are subject to market and other conditions and described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the 2021 Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). However, these risks are not exhaustive and new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as may be required by law, and we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Nuvectis Pharma Contact

Ron Bentsur

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President 

rbentsur@nuvectis.com

Media Relations Contact

Christopher M. Calabrese 

LifeSci Advisors 

Tel: 917-680-5608

ccalabrese@lifesciadvisors.com