NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, Aug. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZNTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing clinically differentiated small molecule therapeutics targeting fundamental biological pathways of cancers, today announced the appointment of Kimberly Freeman as Chief Strategy Officer. In this role, she will support and implement Zentalis’ long-term portfolio strategy. Ms. Freeman joins Zentalis with over 25 years of clinical development and strategic leadership experience, including deep expertise in oncology, particularly in gynecologic malignancies and the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway.
“Kimberly brings an outstanding track record of building and executing drug development and franchise strategies that will be invaluable to Zentalis as we seek to capitalize on the significant opportunity we see with azenosertib across a broad array of tumor types,” said Dr. Kimberly Blackwell, Chief Executive Officer of Zentalis. “We welcome her unique skill set, which is ideally suited to helping us advance azenosertib to patients with ovarian and uterine cancers, as well as expand to other Cyclin E1 positive tumor types where patients typically face poor prognosis. Kimberly has successfully driven multiple cancer programs from early clinical development to FDA approval, led a billion-dollar product franchise, and has a deep network in the gynecologic oncology community.”
Prior to joining Zentalis, Ms. Freeman was Vice President, US Head of DDR Franchise, Oncology at AstraZeneca. She was responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and cross-functional efforts for LYNPARZA® (olaparib) and other therapies targeting the DDR pathway, which is an important hallmark in ovarian and other cancers. Previously, she held various leadership roles at biopharmaceutical companies including Adaptimmune, Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKline. Ms. Freeman has also served on the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) Cell Therapy Advisory Committee and has been recognized by Women in Bio as a Female Pioneer in the Life Sciences. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Cornell University, Ms. Freeman was a Research Scientist in the Department of Hematology/Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medical Center and later pursued Graduate Studies at SUNY Upstate Medical Center. Ms. Freeman also received Finance and Marketing Certificates from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
“It is a privilege to join the Zentalis management team at such an exciting time in the Company’s history. I look forward to working with the team to shape and advance the Company’s strategic priorities,” said Ms. Freeman. “I see tremendous opportunity for azenosertib to change the therapeutic paradigm in a number of solid tumor types as it continues to emerge as a promising new therapeutic for cancer patients.”
About Zentalis Pharmaceuticals
Zentalis® Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company 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/
