ZNTL - Zentalis Pharmaceuticals Announces Appointment of Accomplished Oncology Drug Developer Luke Walker M.D. to Board of Directors | Benzinga
NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, May 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zentalis® Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing clinically differentiated small molecule therapeutics targeting fundamental biological pathways of cancers, today announced the appointment of Luke Walker, M.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Walker is the Chief Medical Officer of Harpoon Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, and brings nearly three decades of experience as a practicing oncologist and drug developer advancing new cancer therapies.
"We are pleased to have Luke join our Board of Directors and contribute to the Company's pipeline advancement and continued value creation," said Kimberly Blackwell, M.D., Chief Executive Officer. "Luke's extensive oncology drug development and regulatory experience, including winning product approvals, will be invaluable as we advance towards multiple anticipated azenosertib data readouts during the remainder of 2024 and into 2025, and expected regulatory submission, which we anticipate in 2026."
Dr. Walker is the Chief Medical Officer of Harpoon Therapeutics, an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company focused on developing T-cell engagers in oncology, which was acquired by Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, in March 2024. Previously, he was Vice President of Clinical Development at Seagen, where he was the global development lead for TUKYSA (tucatinib) through the program's successful completion of a pivotal registrational trial and successful regulatory approvals. Earlier, Dr. Walker held senior clinical development roles with Cascadian Therapeutics. Dr. Walker began his career as a practicing medical oncologist and hematologist at Providence Regional Medical Center and with the Everett Clinic. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree, with Special Distinction, from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
"I am honored to join the Zentalis Board of Directors at such a pivotal time ahead of multiple expected azenosertib clinical readouts," said Dr. Walker. "Azenosertib has the potential to transform the standard of care for patients living with gynecological cancers. Furthermore, based on the drug's mechanism targeting common defects in cancer cell biology, azenosertib holds promise across various additional tumor types. I ...