Ajax Therapeutics Appoints David Waller, PhD, as Senior Vice President and Head of CMC

NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ajax Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, today announced the appointment of David Waller, PhD, as Senior Vice President and Head of Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC). Dr. Waller brings more than 13 years of preclinical to commercial small molecule drug development experience from previous leadership roles in CMC at MOMA Therapeutics, EQRx, Sage Therapeutics and Cubist Pharmaceuticals.

“We’re pleased to welcome David to the Ajax team,” said Martin Vogelbaum, CEO of Ajax Therapeutics. “His CMC experience with early phase drug development through commercialization aligns well with the clinical strategy for our lead first-in-class type II JAK2 inhibitor, AJ1-11095, which is currently in a Phase1 study for patients with myelofibrosis who are resistant or refractory to type I JAK2 inhibitors.”

“I’m excited to join Ajax as the company prepares to transition from dose escalation to the dose expansion phase of its Phase 1 study,” said Dr. Waller. “I look forward to working closely with the company’s clinical team to ensure that CMC activities continue to support the treatment needs of patients on study, as well as to help build toward the future clinical advancement of Ajax’s pipeline of next generation JAK inhibitors.”

Dr. Waller joins Ajax from MOMA Therapeutics where he was Vice President, Nonclinical and CMC development and responsible for all nonclinical and CMC activities for the company’s small molecule portfolio, including two development candidates that advanced to the clinic. Prior to MOMA, he was Senior Director and Head of Small Molecule CMC at EQRx, Inc., where he led all preclinical to commercial CMC activities. He served as Director, Late Phase Drug Substance Process Development at Sage Therapeutics where he led process development and validation of Zurzuvae® across two supply chains. Previously, Dr. Waller held roles in chemical process development at Enanta Pharmaceuticals and Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Waller received his BS from the University of Georgia and a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.

About AJ1-11095
AJ1-11095 was designed using structure-based drug design and computational methods at scale to selectively bind the type II conformation of the JAK2 kinase to provide greater efficacy with disease modification compared to all currently approved JAK2 inhibitors, including ruxolitinib, which bind the type I conformation of JAK2. AJ1-11095 has been shown in preclinical studies to reverse marrow fibrosis, reduce mutant allele burden, and maintain efficacy against MPN cells that become resistant to chronic Type I JAK2 inhibition. AJ1-11095 is currently in a Phase I study for patients with myelofibrosis (MF) who are resistant or refractory to type1 JAK2 inhibitors. Further details about the study can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About Ajax Therapeutics
Ajax Therapeutics, Inc. is pursuing uniquely selective approaches to develop novel next generation therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including myelofibrosis. By combining the deep cancer and structural biology insights of our founding scientists with the industry’s most advanced computational drug discovery and protein structure platforms, we aim to discover and develop more precisely designed therapies to address the significant unmet needs for patients with MPNs. Please find more information at www.ajaxtherapeutics.com. 

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7585ef0b-56cb-4f6b-bc07-086bd1ce0ad6

CONTACT: Ajax Media Contact:
Kathryn Morris, The Yates Network LLC
914-204-6412
kathryn@theyatesnetwork.com