AmMax Bio Announces the Appointment of Biotechnology Executive, Michael Kavanaugh, M.D., as Independent Board Member

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AmMax Bio, Inc. (“AmMax”), a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics targeting the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R), today announced that Michael Kavanaugh, M.D. has been appointed as an Independent Board Member.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Kavanaugh to our Board of Directors,” said Larry Hsu, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of AmMax Bio. “Michael’s extensive experience, as both a seasoned biotechnology executive and as a research-driven scientist and physician, brings an extraordinary set of skills and industry perspectives that will help guide AmMax as we advance our ongoing clinical programs. We welcome Michael to our Board and look forward to benefiting from his future contributions.”     

“I am very happy to join the Board of AmMax Bio,” said Michael Kavanaugh, M.D. “Larry and his outstanding team have already made considerable progress in developing a potentially best-in-class therapy for the treatment of TGCT, and I look forward to working with them to further advance this program. I also hope to leverage my scientific and industry experience to help AmMax identify new pipeline assets that are driven by sound science and where we have the potential to significantly improve upon the current standard of care.”

Michael Kavanaugh has nearly 40 years of combined experience as a drug development executive and as a board-certified practicing physician, with a distinguished career in scientific research, preclinical drug development, clinical trials, and patient care. He also possesses a deep technical expertise in receptor-ligand biology and signal transduction, protein therapeutic development, and in multiple disease areas.

Dr. Kavanaugh served in key executive roles with both private and public companies including CytomX Therapeutics, Five Prime Therapeutics, Novartis and Chiron. He has authored or co-authored over 50 scientific and medical publications, and he is also a listed inventor or co-inventor on nearly 30 issued patents.

Dr. Kavanaugh currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of several privately-held and publicly-traded companies. Since 2001, he has also held the position of Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

About TGCT

Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor (TGCT), with a worldwide incidence of over 300,000, is a serious and debilitating locally aggressive tumor in which patients can experience severe pain, disability, and diminished quality of life. Surgical resection is the primary standard of care for TGCT, but carries significant risk to patients, including complications, prolonged postoperative care, infections, and frequent relapse. A safe and efficacious pharmacological therapy remains a significant unmet need.  AmMax is uniquely positioned to address this need in treating TGCT by leveraging the target selectivity of AMB-05X and its enhanced safety profile, while creating a sizable commercial opportunity from improved patient care.

About AMB-05X

A potent monoclonal antibody against CSF1R, AMB-05X represents a therapeutic platform targeting serious macrophage-driven inflammatory, fibrotic and neovascular diseases. CSF1R, via its binding to two regulatory cytokines, CSF1 and IL-34, is critically involved in the regulation of macrophages and related cells in multiple biological processes across many organ systems, making it an attractive target with broad therapeutic applications.

About AmMax Bio Inc.

AmMax was founded to develop therapies under an exclusive worldwide license from Amgen, Inc. that leverages the diverse and critical roles played by the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) signaling pathway for macrophage-driven diseases in multiple organ systems. AmMax is enrolling patients in a Phase 2 clinical program for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). Based on robust preclinical proof-of-concept results, AmMax is also planning to initiate a Phase 2 clinical study in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
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For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.AmMaxBio.com.

Contact

AmMax Bio, Inc.
Andrew Sauter, CFO
Email:  andrewsauter@ammaxbio.com
Tel: 650-787-3777