MONT-SAINT-GUIBERT, Belgium, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celyad Oncology SA (Euronext & Nasdaq: CYAD), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapies for cancer, announced the appointment of Dr. Charles Morris to the position of Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Morris will lead and provide strategic direction for all medical, regulatory and clinical development activities.

“We are delighted to bring someone with Dr. Morris’s vast expertise and experience on board during this pivotal time in the Company,” said Filippo Petti, CEO of Celyad Oncology. “Dr. Morris has played an integral part in guiding multiple late-stage oncology drugs to approval and his demonstrated track record of leadership in the pharmaceutical industry will greatly benefit the work we are doing at Celyad Oncology.”

Dr. Morris said, “I’m happy to be joining Celyad Oncology during such a milestone rich year full of multiple important data readouts. Celyad Oncology’s unique allogeneic CAR T approach coupled with its proprietary allogeneic technologies provides a wealth of material to create a differentiated pipeline for patients with unmet medical needs. I look forward to working with the team to advance Celyad Oncology and help make it a leader in the field.”

Dr. Morris is a medical oncologist with over 20 years of oncology drug development experience in the international biotech and pharmaceutical space. Prior to joining Celyad Oncology, Dr. Morris served as Chief Medical Officer of Radius Health and held leadership positions at PsiOxus Therapeutics, ImmunoGen Inc and Allos Therapeutics, where he contributed to all phases of development for solid and hematological tumor indications, as well as life-cycle management development activities for FOLOTYN (pralatrexate) while at Allos. Before serving in these positions, he was Vice President of Worldwide Clinical Research at Cephalon, Inc., where he helped the company achieve its first oncology drug approval for Treanda® (bendamustine). He spent the early years of his career in various roles at AstraZeneca, where he significantly contributed to the worldwide development of Faslodex (fulvestrant), co-authored multiple publications regarding fulvestrant and breast cancer, and supported early clinical development activities for Iressa® (gefitinib).

Dr. Morris holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Medical Science in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics degree from Sheffield University Medical School in the UK and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of London.

Forward-Looking Statement

This release may contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include statements regarding: the strategic direction for the Company’s medical, regulatory and clinical development activities, including upcoming data readouts. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which might cause actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Celyad Oncology to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risk and uncertainty includes the expected date of the Phase 1 trial results in the first half of 2021, our development of additional shRNA-based allogenic candidates from our CYAD-200 series towards clinical trial, our financial and operating results and the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and government measures implemented in response thereto. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks can be found in Celyad Oncology’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and reports, including in its Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 24, 2021 and subsequent filings and reports by Celyad Oncology. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document and Celyad Oncology’s actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Celyad Oncology expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this document to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless required by law or regulation.

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Source: Celyad Oncology SA