NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, Feb. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZNTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing clinically differentiated small molecule therapeutics targeting fundamental biological pathways of cancers, today announced the appointment of Iris Roth, PhD, as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Dr. Roth joins Zentalis with over two decades of biopharmaceutical experience building and executing clinical and operational strategies, successfully advancing the development of multiple investigational therapies in oncology.
“I am incredibly pleased to welcome Iris to Zentalis, rounding out our management team with a seasoned leader who has extensive experience in oncology drug development,” said Dr. Kimberly Blackwell, Chief Executive Officer of Zentalis. “Iris has an impressive track record in creating and managing high-performing drug development teams, as well as successfully advancing small molecule cancer programs from discovery through the clinic to commercialization. Her expertise will be an immediate value add as we advance our focused clinical strategy, with plans to disclose updated program timelines and potential paths to registration in the coming months.”
Dr. Roth joins Zentalis from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where she served as Vice President, Medicine Development Leader. At GSK, she built a portfolio of CD226 Axis immune checkpoint inhibitors, including antibodies targeting CD96, TIGIT and PVRIG. Prior to GSK, Dr. Roth served in senior leadership roles at various biopharmaceutical companies, including as Chief Operating Officer of Kartos Therapeutics, and Vice President, Global Medicine Leader of AstraZeneca. In these roles, she was responsible for leading the clinical development and commercial strategy for several drugs, including the registration and launch of Acerta Pharma/AstraZeneca’s Calquence® (acalabrutinib) and Genentech/Roche’s Erivedge® (vismodegib). Dr. Roth earned her BS in Genetics at the University of California, Berkeley, and her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco.
“Zentalis has made impressive progress on its clinical development strategy, and I am grateful to be working alongside this talented team to help advance the Company’s rapidly expanding portfolio of clinical programs,” said Dr. Roth. “Zentalis has an exciting catalyst-filled year ahead, and I am eager to apply my industry experience and passion for drug development to work to bring these differentiated oncology assets to patients in need.”
About Zentalis Pharmaceuticals
Zentalis™ Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing small molecule therapeutics targeting fundamental biological pathways of cancers. Utilizing its Integrated Discovery Engine, the Company is developing a focused pipeline of potentially best-in-class oncology candidates, which include azenosertib (ZN-c3), a Wee1 inhibitor for advanced solid tumors, ZN-d5, a BCL-2 inhibitor for hematologic malignancies and related disorders, and a heterobifunctional degrader of BCL-xL for solid and hematological malignancies. The Company is also leveraging its extensive experience and capabilities across cancer biology and medicinal chemistry to advance its research on protein degraders. Zentalis has operations in both New York and San Diego.
For more information, please visit www.zentalis.com. Follow Zentalis on Twitter at @ZentalisP and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/
