Akrevia Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing highly-potent, tumor-targeted immuno-oncology therapeutics, appoints Joseph Farmer as its Chief Operating Officer. Joseph will be leading the Akrevia's business development, finance, administrative, and business operations functions, and will be reporting to René Russo, PharmD, Akrevia's Chief Executive Officer.

Excited over the appoiment Joseph states, “With a passion for building and growing companies, I am thrilled to join René, Tim Clackson, and the rest of the Akrevia team at this important inflection point in its history, this is an opportunity to join a truly revolutionary company committed to developing the next wave of immuno-oncology therapies by unlocking the potential of highly potent cytokines, antibodies, and other immune modulators through tumor-targeted activation. I look forward to drawing on and applying my extensive transactional and operational experience at several high-growth biopharma companies to help lead Akrevia through this important phase of its evolution.”

Joseph, a proficient biopharma executive, possesses over 20 years of industry experience at different stage of development from various organization. Before joining Akrevia, Joseph has served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Tesaro, Inc., a global oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company, with his contribution from the development stage the company has attained the multi-product, international commercial organization state.

He was also responsible for leading negotiation and closing of several financing and business development transaction, that includes more than $1.3 billion equity and debt financing transaction, several license and collaboration transactions with large global pharmaceutical companies, and the ultimate sale of Tesaro to GlaxoSmithKline for over $5 billion in January 2019.

I look forward to drawing on and applying my extensive transactional and operational experience at several high-growth biopharma companies to help lead Akrevia

Prior to Tesaro, Joseph served as a Chief Corporate Counsel and Assistant Secretary for Cubist Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical company, focused on the development and commercialization of anti-infective therapeutics. Even at Cubist, Joseph has led the negotiation and execution of several major multi-million & multi-billion-dollar business development and financing transactions that includes $9.5 billion sale of Cubist to Merck in 2015. Prior to Cubist, Joseph served as the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel at AMAG Pharmaceuticals.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr. René says, “As we focus on the next phase of Akrevia's growth, I am thrilled to welcome Joseph as our new Chief Operating Officer,” she adds, “This is an exciting time for the Company as we approach nomination of our first development candidates from our tumor-activated IL-2 and anti-CTLA4 programs, unlock the full potential of our Aklusion platform technology and work to deliver on our long-term strategy to build a leading immuno-oncology company. Joseph's execution-focused leadership and deep expertise in financing companies, building successful business development partnerships, and establishing operational infrastructure at multiple early-stage, high-growth companies will be invaluable to Akrevia as we aim to become a leader in immuno-oncology therapeutics.”