RAPT Therapeutics Appoints Mary Ann Gray, Ph.D., to Board of Directors
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RAPT Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: RAPT), a clinical-stage immunology-based biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing oral small molecule therapies for patients with significant unmet needs in oncology and inflammatory diseases, today announced that Mary Ann Gray, Ph.D., President of Gray Strategic Advisors, LLC, has joined its Board of Directors.
“We are pleased to welcome Mary Ann to our Board, as she brings a wealth of scientific and financial expertise from her time investing in and covering biotech companies, as well as broad leadership experience guiding companies as they develop key therapeutics with a wide range of pharmacological applications,” said Brian Wong, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of RAPT Therapeutics. “We believe Mary Ann will offer both scientific and business insights as we continue to grow the company and advance FLX475 for the treatment of multiple cancers and RPT193 for the treatment of allergic inflammatory diseases.”
Dr. Gray is President of Gray Strategic Advisors, LLC, a biotechnology strategic planning and advisory firm. Previously, she served as Senior Analyst and Portfolio Manager of Federated Kaufmann Fund where she was responsible for over $1 billion in healthcare investments including biotechnology, specialty pharmaceutical, pharmaceutical and healthcare services companies. Prior to Federated, she served as a biotechnology equity research analyst at multiple firms. Earlier in her career, she worked as a senior scientist both at Schering Plough Research and NeoRx Corporation. She currently serves on the boards of Seneca Biopharma Inc. and Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. and previously served on the board of many public and private biotech companies. Dr. Gray holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina, a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Vermont, and completed her post-doctoral work at Northwestern University Medical School and at the Yale University School of Medicine.
“RAPT Therapeutics, with its integrated platform for drug discovery, has the potential to truly disrupt the treatment paradigm for multiple disease areas – from cancer to inflammation,” commented Dr. Gray. “I look forward to working with the executive team and Board at this pivotal time for the Company, with exciting data readouts from both lead programs expected by mid-2020.”
About RAPT Therapeutics, Inc.
RAPT Therapeutics (formerly FLX Bio) is a clinical stage immunology-based biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing oral small molecule therapies for patients with significant unmet needs in oncology and inflammatory diseases. Utilizing its proprietary discovery and development engine, the company is developing highly selective small molecules designed to modulate the critical immune responses underlying these diseases. In its first four years since inception, RAPT has discovered and advanced two unique drug candidates, each targeting C-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4). The Company’s lead oncology drug candidate, FLX475, reached the clinic in just two and a half years and its lead inflammation drug candidate, RPT193, is also in the clinic. The Company is also pursuing a range of targets, including general control nonderepressible 2 and hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1, that are in the discovery stage of development.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Each of these statements is based only on current information, assumptions and expectations that are inherently subject to change and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the clinical development of FLX475 and RPT193. Detailed information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by statements in this press release may be found in RAPT’s final prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 1, 2019. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. RAPT disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
RAPT Media Contact:
Angela Bitting
(925) 202-6211
RAPT Investor Contact:
Sylvia Wheeler
