Aravive Biologics has appointed Stephen Eck as its new CEO and president at a time when the company is preparing to advance its lead drug candidate Aravive-S6 into human clinical testing.
Eck has served a number of global pharmaceutical companies in senior roles, including Eli Lilly and Pfizer, and most recently at Astellas Pharma as vice president of oncology medical sciences.
He said: “I am very excited to be joining Aravive at this point in the company’s development.
“I look forward to helping Aravive realise the full potential that I believe Gas6/AXL inhibition can bring to the treatment of cancer.”
Eck also serves on the board of directors of Texas-based life sciences company Luminex Corporation, he is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is chairman of the board of directors of the Personalised Medicine Coalition.
Ray Tabibiazar, founding president and CEO of Aravive, said: “Stephen has an impressive track-record of oncology drug and biomarker development at prominent pharmaceutical companies, as well as a close relationship to Houston’s M.D Anderson Cancer Centre as a member of the Advisory Board for their oncology Moonshot Programme.
“We welcome his expertise and leadership to the Aravive team.”
Eck succeeds Ray Tabibiazar who will remain as chairman of the company’s board of directors.