Cantargia appoints Ignacio Garcia-Ribas as CMO

Swedish biotech Cantargia has appointed Dr Ignacio Garcia-Ribas as chief medical officer (CMO) of Cantargia effective March 1, 2020. He will be a member of the executive management and have a key role in the advancement of the company's antibody CAN04 in Phase IIa clinical development for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic cancer (PDAC).

The company said that the appointment of Dr Garcia-Ribas as CMO is an important step for Cantargia as it ntinues to make progress with its main project, the antibody CAN04 with a double mechanism designed to counteract tumor-promoting inflammatory mechanisms. CAN04, targeting IL1RAP, is currently in Phase IIa clinical development in NSCLC and PDAC. Dr Garcia-Ribas, who is medical oncologist, brings more than 15 years' experience in oncology early drug development in the pharma industry. Most of his research activities have been carried out in the USA and in Japan.

Dr Garcia-Ribas, who most recently held the position as senior medical director at Takeda (TYO: 4503) and acted as global clinical lead across several Phase I and II programs in Takeda's oncology pipeline with a focus on immuno-oncology, was responsible for the clinical development plans, including oversight of translational, regulatory, operational and safety aspects of the molecules and trials. In his role he led several successful Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for first-in-class, first-in-human drugs.