Tom Boone, M.S.
In Memoriam: Tom Boone, M.S.
Simcha Therapeutics honors the remarkable legacy of Tom Boone, a pioneering scientist whose expertise and vision profoundly shaped the field of protein therapeutics. With over 40 years of groundbreaking accomplishments in their discovery and development, Tom was a key force behind the innovative foundation of Simcha’s programs, and his dedication to advancing science continues to inspire our mission.
Tom’s career was marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence. Tom worked at Amgen for 28 years and served in positions of increasing responsibility in growing Amgen Protein Sciences to an organization of over 300 researchers across five different sites. His career at Amgen began in 1981 as a bench scientist with the isolation and cDNA cloning of novel cytokines and growth factors including G-CSF. He was also responsible for expressing, purifying, and formulating many of Amgen’s recombinant proteins. Tom developed proprietary processes used to produce recombinant G-CSF and other therapeutic candidates for clinical applications. Tom was the first Vice President of Amgen Protein Science and was the lead scientist in the development of Nplate®, a treatment of thrombocytopenia. His critical role in the discovery and process development of G-CSF (Neupogen) is widely recognized.
After leaving Amgen, Tom brought his visionary leadership to early-stage biotech ventures, providing strategic and technical guidance to more than 30 companies. His vast experience and deep scientific insight were essential in helping them license in clinical stage molecules and advance novel therapies.
Tom held master’s degrees in microbiology from UCLA and Soil Science from UC Davis.
At Simcha, we are privileged to have benefited from Tom’s unparalleled expertise and commitment. Tom’s enduring contributions to science and humanity will always be remembered and cherished.
Simeon George, M.D.
Simeon is CEO and Managing Partner of SR One, with overall responsibility for the fund and is Chair of the Investment Committee. Simeon joined SR One in 2007 and established its San Francisco office in 2010. Previously, he worked in management consulting (Bain & Co.) and investment banking (Goldman Sachs). Simeon led SR One’s investments in several marquee deals including CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP), Principia Biopharma (PRNB), Turning Point Therapeutics (TPTX), Progyny (PGNY), and Nkarta Therapeutics (NKTX), which he co-founded.
Simeon has a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MD/MBA from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine/The Wharton School.
Jake Bauer
Jake is a Venture Partner at ARCH Venture Partners and SR One Capital Management. Prior to MyoKardia Inc.’s acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in November 2020, Jake served as the Chief Business Officer of MyoKardia. Prior to this, he served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Corporate Development and Principal Financial Officer of MyoKardia having joined the company in 2014.
In earlier roles, Jake served as Vice President, Business Operations and head of corporate development at Ablexis, LLC and as a principal at Third Rock Ventures. While at Third Rock Ventures, he was actively involved in a variety of leading biopharmaceutical companies including Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., CytomX Therapeutics Inc., and Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. Previously, Jake served in roles in the investment group at Royalty Pharma, the business development group at Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. and as a management consultant at Putnam Associates.
In addition to Simcha, he currently serves on the board of Arya Sciences Acquisition Corp V, Attralus, Enliven and Phoenix Tissue Repair, Inc.
Jake holds a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in economics from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Beatrice McQueen, Ph.D.
Beatrice has 20+ years of industry experience in research and development, operations, finance and business development. Beatrice was appointed a Simcha executive since its inception in 2018 accountable for all aspects of the company – G&A, Corporate Strategy and R&D, including manufacturing, preclinical & clinical development, regulatory and quality. Prior to Simcha, she served on the commercial team at PPD. Before PPD, Beatrice established and led Beatrice Perotti Inc in 2006, a consulting firm, full time for 12 years until 2017, providing consulting services to start ups and established biotech companies. Beatrice started consulting after 12 years of product development and finance experience in leadership positions in PKDM, product strategy/early development, strategic business operations and finance at Pfizer and Amgen.
Beatrice graduated with a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry – Pharmacokinetics & Drug Metabolism from the University of California, San Francisco, and an E.M.B.A. from UCLA Anderson School of Management. Beatrice also had a Project Management Certificate from CalTech and was an Amgen certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
Sanuj Ravindran, M.D.
Sanuj has spent more than 20 years in strategic and operational roles across the life science industry, both as an investor and company builder. Most recently, he served as CEO-in-residence at BridgeBio (BBIO) where he was chief executive officer of PellePharm, and executive chair of Phoenix Tissue Repair. In these roles, Sanuj led both companies’ growth, directed strategy, secured significant partnerships, and advanced pipeline programs in oncology and rare skin diseases through mid- and late-stage clinical trials. Before this, he served as chief business officer at aTyr Pharma (LIFE), a clinical-stage protein therapeutics company focused on tRNA synthetases. Prior to that, Sanuj was senior vice president of corporate development at The Medicines Company (MDCO), where he led multiple transactions totaling more than $2 billion in potential value. Sanuj began his biotech career as a venture capitalist for 10 years with Burrill & Company, Radius Ventures, and Asian Healthcare Fund.
Sanuj was previously a practicing physician, board-certified in Internal Medicine, having completed his residency training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He received his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, his doctorate in medicine from Jefferson Medical College, and his master’s of business administration from the Kellogg School of Management.
News
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Simcha Therapeutics Raises $40 Million Series B Financing and Initiates Phase 1/2 Study to Evaluate Novel Interleukin-18 Variant in Cancer
Financing led by SR One; Proceeds to advance proprietary IL-18 variant through Phase 2 clinical trial ST-067 is a first-in-class “decoy resistant” IL-18 variant designed to overcome IL-18 binding in the tumor microenvironment
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Jan. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Simcha Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing cytokine-based cancer immunotherapies, today announced the closing of a $40 million Series B financing. The round was led by SR One Capital Management and joined by other new investors including BVF Partners, Samsara BioCapital, Rock Springs Capital, ArrowMark Partners, and Logos Capital. In conjunction with the financing, Simeon George, MD, Chief Executive Officer of SR One Capital Management, has joined the Simcha Therapeutics Board of Directors.
In addition, the Company has dosed the first patient in the Phase 1 portion of a first-in human multi-center Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its first drug candidate ST-067, a first-in-class “decoy-resistant” Interleukin-18 variant. The study is designed to evaluate the safety and bioactivity of ST-067 in a broad set of solid tumor types.
“We intend to become a leader in creating the next-generation of cytokine immunotherapies, and this investment from a phenomenal group of blue-chip firms represents a major endorsement of our progress to date and future potential,” said Aaron Ring, MD, PhD, Simcha Therapeutics Founder and Assistant Professor of Immunobiology at the Yale School of Medicine. “The Series B comes at a pivotal time in Simcha’s development as we have transitioned to a clinical-stage company and continue to build our leadership team.”
Dr. George added, “Simcha is developing highly innovative drugs that are completely unlike any other immunotherapeutic agent in development. We are proud to support the company in advancing this extremely promising agent for cancer patients.”
About Simcha Therapeutics
Simcha Therapeutics uses directed evolution to engineer novel cytokines designed to unlock the precision and power of the immune system. Simcha’s lead program, ST-067, is a designer IL-18 cytokine that has shown potent antitumor effects in animal models, both as a monotherapy and when combined with anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors, as described in Nature in June 2020. A Phase 1 clinical trial commenced in the second half of 2021. Simcha was founded in 2018 by Aaron Ring, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Immunobiology at the Yale School of Medicine.