Principal Investigator in ANG038 trial in Glioblastoma

Jing Wu, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator, is a clinical neuro-oncologist and Lasker Clinical Research Scholar in the Neuro-Oncology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, where she leads a translational research program focused on gliomas and other primary brain tumors. Dr. Wu originated the GBM cohort of the ongoing NCI ANG038 clinical study in multiply recurrent GBM. She earned her M.D. from Capital Medical University in Beijing and her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Texas Medical Branch, followed by residency training in neurology and a neuro-oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Before joining the NCI in 2015, she served on the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-directed its Brain Tumor Program. She is board-certified in neurology and neuro-oncology and cares for patients with a range of central nervous system tumors while integrating laboratory and clinical investigation to address unmet therapeutic needs.

Angelis Team

Daniel V. Santi, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Member of the Board, is a physician-scientist, biotechnology entrepreneur, and drug developer with extensive experience in therapeutics and novel drug-delivery technologies. He was Professor at UCSF, where he held appointments in Biochemistry and Biophysics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Dr. Santi has co-founded five biotechnology companies, including Kosan Biosciences, where he served as CEO and Chairman through its public offering and advancement of multiple oncology drugs into clinical development, and ProLynx, which developed a platform for long-acting therapeutics. His recent research has focused on the development of ANG038 (formerly PLX038) and its application to glioblastoma and other cancers. He has authored more than 300 scientific publications and is a co-inventor on over 50 U.S. patents. Dr. Santi received his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from SUNY and his M.D. from UCSF.

Peter J. Langecker, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, is a physician-scientist and biotechnology executive with more than 30 years of experience in oncology drug development and clinical research. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, he served as Vice President of Clinical Affairs at SUGEN, helping advance pioneering targeted cancer therapies into the clinic. He subsequently held senior leadership positions at Intarcia Therapeutics and DURECT Corporation, directing clinical development and regulatory strategy. As CEO and later Chairman of OXiGENE, he led the development of novel cancer therapeutics. More recently, he has advised biotechnology companies on oncology trials, regulatory strategy, and global drug development. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Medical Sciences from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

Alexander Steiner, MS, MBA, Chief Operation Officer, is a biotechnology executive with experience spanning scientific research, drug development, business development, and corporate strategy. He previously served as Chief Business Officer and Head of R&D Operations at ProLynx, where he helped guide business strategy, partnerships, and research and development operations. Earlier, he was Vice President and Head of Business Development at Prellis Biologics and held a series of scientific and strategic leadership positions at Sutro Biopharma. His scientific experience includes protein biochemistry, antibody-drug conjugates, immuno-oncology, and biotherapeutic development, followed by extensive work in licensing, strategic collaborations, and corporate development. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from the Wharton School of U. Pennsylvania, where he was a Palmer Scholar.

Advisors

Gary Ashley, Ph.D. Dr. Ashley is a chemist, biotechnology entrepreneur, and drug discovery leader with extensive experience in medicinal chemistry and therapeutic development. He co-founded ProLynx, where he has spent more than a decade advancing the chemistry underlying the company’s ultra-long-acting half-life extension technology. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University and held senior chemistry and research leadership roles at Parnassus Pharmaceuticals and Kosan Biosciences, including Vice President of Exploratory Research. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from MIT and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a licensed patent agent with more than 70 scientific publications and over 50 issued U.S. patents.

Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS. President of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. An internationally recognized cancer researcher, he was a co-discoverer of the BRCA2 gene and a pioneer in translating the biology of hereditary cancers into new therapeutic approaches. He previously served as Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research in London. His research has made major contributions to understanding cancer genetics, DNA repair, and the development of targeted therapies, including approaches exploiting defects in tumor DNA repair pathways. He is a leading authority in translational cancer medicine, precision oncology, and the development of personalized cancer therapies.

Howard Colman, MD, PhD. Professor at the University of Utah and a senior leader in neuro-oncology at Huntsman Cancer Institute. A board-certified neurologist and neuro-oncologist, he is an internationally recognized expert in glioblastoma and other primary brain tumors. His clinical and translational research focuses on developing new treatments for glioblastoma, including the design and leadership of early- and late-phase clinical trials and innovative platform studies. His research has particular emphasis on molecular classification of gliomas, tumor stem cell biology, biomarkers, and precision therapies designed to exploit the molecular vulnerabilities of individual tumors. He plays leadership roles in national cooperative-group brain tumor research and serves in the editorial leadership of Neuro-Oncology. His work combines laboratory investigation with clinical trial development to translate advances in glioblastoma biology into more effective treatments for patients.

John de Groot, MD. Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Division Chief of Neuro-Oncology at UCSF. An internationally recognized expert in glioblastoma and other malignant brain tumors, he has served as principal investigator on more than 40 clinical trials, with a major focus on developing new treatments for glioblastoma. His research includes innovative approaches to overcoming the blood-brain barrier, including focused ultrasound, as well as immunotherapy combinations and molecularly targeted treatments. He previously directed Neuro-Oncology Clinical Research at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he led an extensive clinical and translational brain tumor research program. His work focuses on translating advances in glioblastoma biology into new therapies, with particular expertise in targeted agents, antiangiogenic therapies, immunotherapy, and improving drug delivery to brain tumors.

Peter Hirth, Ph.D. Peter Hirth is a molecular geneticist, biotechnology entrepreneur, and drug discovery leader with more than three decades of experience in oncology therapeutics. He co-founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of Plexxikon, where he led the development of the company's structure-guided drug discovery platform that produced multiple clinical candidates, including the BRAF inhibitor Zelboraf® (vemurafenib), an FDA-approved therapy for metastatic melanoma. Previously, he co-founded and led SUGEN, helping pioneer kinase inhibitor drug development, and has since served on the boards of numerous biotechnology companies, providing strategic guidance in oncology drug discovery and development.