NeoPhore appoints Michael Shih as Chief Executive Officer

• Highly experienced corporate development leader with a track record of international pharma and biotech deal-making
• New CEO to drive growth strategy to maximise the potential of drug discovery pipeline to treat cancer

LONDON, Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NeoPhore Limited, a small molecule neoantigen immuno-oncology company, today announces the appointment of Michael Shih as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and to the Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Michael Shih has nearly 20 years of experience in business development, licensing and mergers & acquisitions. Michael was most recently Vice President of Corporate Development at Kite Pharma, where he led multiple business development opportunities for the Company. Before this, Michael was Senior Vice President, Head of Business Development at Biogen, leading the team responsible for sourcing, structuring and executing strategic collaborations and merger and acquisition opportunities. Prior to joining Biogen, Michael was Vice President and Head of Global Transactions at Sanofi, where he oversaw the structuring and negotiation of business development transactions across Sanofi's business units. Michael has also held senior business development roles at Epizyme, Forest Laboratories and Eisai. 

Robert James, Chairman of the Board, NeoPhore, said: "Michael joins at an exciting stage in NeoPhore's development having raised a significant Series B financing round which was supported by Bristol Myers Squibb. As we move closer to being a clinical Company Michael's experience as a corporate development leader in pharma and biotech will be instrumental in driving NeoPhore's next phase of growth."

Michael Shih, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer and Board of Director, NeoPhore commented: "NeoPhore's differentiated approach to targeting the MMR pathway has huge potential to treat cancer. I am looking forward to working with the highly experienced NeoPhore team, who are all clearly aligned to advance the Company's pipeline."

An attorney by training, Mr. Shih previously practiced law at several New York firms and held senior legal positions in-house at Eisai Inc., specialising in licensing, corporate transactions, and litigation.

NeoPhore is developing a pipeline of highly validated, first-in-class small molecule drugs targeting proteins across the MMR pathway to improve the efficacy and durability of revolutionary immunotherapies to treat cancer. The appointment of Michael Shih as CEO follows the close of the Company's oversubscribed Series B financing. The financing and new appointment of the CEO strengthen NeoPhore's position to drive its growth strategy and maximise the potential of its pipeline.

About NeoPhore Ltd

NeoPhore, UK is focused on the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapies to treat cancer through stimulation of the immune system. Generation of cancer neoantigens in tumours can be exploited by the patients' immune system to overcome natural defence mechanisms in cancer. The Company's approach targets the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway, which has been proven to promote neoantigen creation and subsequent immunity against numerous cancers. Using these insights, NeoPhore aims to generate next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients. NeoPhore was spun-out of the University of Turin and PhoreMost Ltd by the CRT Pioneer Fund. For more information, please visit www.neophore.com