WALTHAM, Mass and DUBLIN, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mural Oncology plc (Nasdaq: MURA), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing novel, investigational engineered cytokine therapies designed to address areas of unmet need for patients with a variety of cancers, today announced the appointment of Sachiyo Minegishi to its board of directors, effective September 20. Ms. Minegishi will serve as Chair of the Audit Committee and will also be joining the company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

“With over 20 years of industry experience, Sachiyo brings a successful record of helping companies navigate through important clinical, financial, and corporate milestones,” said Caroline Loew, Ph.D., CEO of Mural Oncology. “Her diverse expertise will be invaluable as we look to propel Mural through the next stage of growth, with several key milestones including candidate nominations for our IL-18 and IL-12 programs this year and key readouts in our two potentially registrational studies of nemvaleukin in the first half of 2025.”

Sachiyo brings over two decades of biopharma experience, with a focus on corporate strategy, finance, development, and commercialization. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Rectify Pharmaceuticals, driving corporate and financing strategy to advance its lead program from discovery to clinical stage. Prior to Rectify, Sachiyo was Chief Financial Officer at Akouos, Inc., where she led corporate finance and business development strategy and played a key role in the acquisition of the company by Eli Lilly. Before that, she was a Global Program Lead at bluebird bio, where she led a team to execute global development and commercialization strategy for a portfolio of gene therapies for sickle cell disease. Sachiyo has also held leadership roles that helped accelerate corporate growth at Human Genome Sciences, Genzyme, and Amgen.

“Mural is entering an exciting time of growth, as it leverages its unique protein engineering skills to develop novel and highly differentiated immunotherapies for patients with high unmet need,” said Sachiyo. “I look forward to contributing my corporate and financing strategy expertise to help position the company for potential commercialization of its lead program and advancement of its early-stage pipeline to the clinic.”

About Mural Oncology
Mural Oncology is leveraging its novel protein engineering platform to develop cytokine-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. By combining our expertise in cytokine biology and immune cell modulation and our protein engineering platform, we are developing medicines to deliver meaningful and clinical benefits to people living with cancer. Our mission is to broaden the potential, and reach, of cytokine-based immunotherapies to improve the lives of patients. Our lead candidate, nemvaleukin, is currently in potentially registrational trials in mucosal melanoma and platinum-resistant ovarian cancer reading out in the first half of 2025. Mural Oncology has its registered office in Dublin, Ireland, and its primary facilities in Waltham, Mass. For more information, visit Mural Oncology’s website at www.muraloncology.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the company’s pipeline and development programs, including the expected timing of clinical updates from the ARTISTRY-6 and ARTISTRY-7 trials, the expected timing of preclinical updates and candidate selection, including with respect to the company’s IL-12 and IL-18 programs, the potential of the company’s product candidates and programs to address unmet medical needs, and the continued progress of its pipeline and programs. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include, among others, the inherent risks and uncertainties associated with competitive developments, preclinical development, clinical trials, recruitment of patients, product development activities and regulatory approval requirements; that preclinical or interim results and data from ongoing clinical studies of the company’s cytokine programs and product candidates may not be predictive of future or final results from such studies, results of future clinical studies or real-world results; future clinical trials or future stages of ongoing clinical trials may not be initiated or completed on time or at all; the company’s product candidates, including nemvaleukin, could be shown to be unsafe or ineffective; changes in the cost, scope and duration of development activities; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may make adverse decisions regarding the company’s product candidates; and those other risks and uncertainties set forth in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2024 and in subsequent filings the company may make with the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. The company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, the company undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date of this press release, except as required by law.

Contact:
Katie Sullivan
katie.sullivan@muraloncology.com