Former Pfizer, BMS, and Denali scientific leader to lead expansion of antibody discovery, preclinical development, and early clinical capabilities

FOSTER CITY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2024 / AbTherx, a biotechnology company with innovative technologies that enable and accelerate therapeutic antibody discovery and development, today announced the appointment of Pallavi Tawde, PhD, to the newly created position of Head of Preclinical R&D Strategy. Dr. Tawde will oversee AbTherx's expansion of antibody discovery efforts including the development of single B cell technologies for targeting cell surface proteins and preclinical development capabilities for a growing number of monoclonal and bispecific antibody programs.

Dr. Tawde brings over two decades of extensive biotherapeutics drug discovery experience in the biopharma industry, having held key scientific positions at leading companies including Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Denali Therapeutics, TrueBinding, and most recently Novasenta. Her expertise spans discovery and development of multiple biotherapeutics, including pioneering antibody discovery technologies for challenging targets (GPCRs, ion channels, and high homology targets) and drug product development for various therapeutic modalities (monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, protein fusions, ADC, and VHH). Her work has significantly impacted a wide range of therapeutic areas, including immuno-oncology, autoimmune, infectious diseases, and neurodegeneration.

Dr. Tawde rejoins a team of former BMS colleagues, many of whom have worked together for over 20 years, bringing a wealth of biotherapeutics experience to AbTherx. Throughout her biopharma career, Dr. Tawde has consistently demonstrated operational excellence, focusing on implementing disruptive technologies, building high-performing teams, project leadership, and strategic vision for building biotherapeutics pipelines.

Dr. Tawde holds a PhD in cell and molecular immunology from Florida State University and has authored numerous publications in the field of biopharmaceutical research. Her contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the prestigious LevTech Award for innovation at BMS, highlighting her dedication to advancing scientific knowledge and therapeutic strategies.

"We're delighted to welcome Pallavi to our team and enhance our capabilities to support an expanding portfolio of innovative antibody discovery technologies and research programs," said Peter Brams, Chief Scientific Officer of AbTherx. "I previously had the pleasure of working with Pallavi at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she was instrumental in improving efficiency, throughput, and quality by implementing research automation and developing innovative technologies and processes. Her subsequent work in preclinical development at Denali, TrueBinding, and Novasenta adds to AbTherx's collective experience and helps align our discovery efforts with development and clinical studies."

"Biotherapeutic discovery and development is increasingly a challenging and expensive endeavor in need of improved solutions," said Dr. Tawde. "I am thrilled to join the passionate AbTherx team as we work to overcome many challenges by building a truly unique combination of innovative transgenic mice technologies, world-class scientists, and customizable capabilities. AbTherx's commitment to innovation and its dynamic approach to antibody discovery align perfectly with my passion for advancing scientific research and improving patient outcomes. I look forward to contributing to the team's efforts and making a meaningful impact."

About AbTherx

AbTherx is advancing medicine with revolutionary technologies that accelerate and enable therapeutic antibody discovery. Through an exclusive partnership with Gilead Sciences, AbTherx has released Atlas™ Mice, a suite of novel transgenic technologies designed for unmatched performance and FTO. For over 20 years, AbTherx's passionate, innovative, and collaborative team has pushed the boundaries of antibody discovery technologies, leading to over 1,000 successful antibody discovery campaigns and 13 marketed therapeutics. AbTherx's industry-leading team creates transformative solutions to overcome the most demanding challenges in delivering innovative medicines. Committed to making its technologies accessible to all, AbTherx offers flexible partnering models that meet the needs of drug developers of all sizes. For more information, please visit www.abtherx.com.

Media Contact

Stacey Borders
stacey@abtherx.com

SOURCE: AbTherx, Inc