SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Ignyta, Inc. (Nasdaq:RXDX), a biotechnology company focused on precision medicine in oncology, today announced the appointment of Mr. Steven L. Hoerter to its board of directors, effective December 8, 2016. Mr. Hoerter will serve as an independent director, as well as a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee. The appointment increases the number of Ignyta directors from five to six.

“Steve's extensive background in commercial strategy and operations complements the skillset of our existing Board of Directors very nicely, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Ignyta’s Board,” said Jonathan Lim, M.D., Chairman and CEO of Ignyta. “We expect that his broad experience launching new oncology medicines will be an invaluable resource as Ignyta seeks to transition into a fully integrated commercial organization.”

Mr. Hoerter has served as Chief Commercial Officer of Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. since February 2016 and has more than 20 years of global pharmaceutical and biotechnology experience, previously having served as executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Clovis Oncology, Inc. There, Mr. Hoerter built and led the global commercial organization that developed go-to-market strategies for two oncology therapies. Before joining Clovis in 2011, he was general manager and management center head at Roche for the Sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean Region. From 2005 to 2010, Mr. Hoerter held a variety of positions at Genentech, Inc., including serving on the senior leadership team for Genentech’s BioOncology business as senior director, Pipeline Development and Commercial Operations. Prior to that, Mr. Hoerter held commercial roles at Chiron Corporation and Eli Lilly and Company in the U.S., Europe and Africa. Mr. Hoerter received his B.A. from Bucknell University, MBA from Tilburg University and M.S. in management from Purdue University.

Mr. Hoerter commented, “I’m excited by Ignyta’s robust precision oncology pipeline, its strong team and outstanding commitment to helping patients with cancer. I look forward to helping guide Ignyta as it advances towards commercialization of its first product candidate.”

About Ignyta, Inc.

Blazing a New Future for Patients with Cancer™

At Ignyta, we work tirelessly on behalf of patients with cancer to offer potentially life-saving, precisely targeted therapeutics (Rx) guided by companion diagnostic (Dx) tests. Our integrated Rx/Dx strategy allows us to enter uncharted territory, illuminating the molecular drivers of cancer and quickly advancing treatments to address them. This approach embraces even those patients with the rarest cancers, who have the highest unmet need and who may otherwise not have access to effective treatment options. With our pipeline of potentially first-in-class and best-in-class precision medicines, we are pursuing the ultimate goal of not just shrinking tumors, but eradicating cancer relapse and recurrence in precisely defined patient populations.

For more information, please visit: www.ignyta.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about Ignyta as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, references to Mr. Hoerter’s potential contributions and the development of Ignyta's product candidates. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with developing new products or technologies and operating as a development stage company; Ignyta's ability to develop, initiate or complete preclinical studies and clinical trials for, obtain approvals for and commercialize any of its product candidates; changes in Ignyta's plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates; the potential for final results of the ongoing clinical trials of entrectinib and our other product candidates, or any future clinical trials of entrectinib and our other product candidates, to differ from preliminary or expected results; Ignyta's ability to raise any additional funding it will need to continue to pursue its business and product development plans; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; Ignyta's ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for its product candidates; the risk that orphan drug exclusivity may not effectively protect a product from competition and that such exclusivity may not be maintained; the potential for Ignyta to fail to maintain the CAP accreditation and CLIA certification of its diagnostic laboratory; the loss of key scientific or management personnel; competition in the industry in which Ignyta operates; and market conditions. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and Ignyta assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factor disclosure set forth in the reports and other documents Ignyta files with the SEC available at www.sec.gov, including without limitation Ignyta's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

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