Syros Announces Appointment of Deborah Dunsire, M.D., to Its Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Syros Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SYRS), a leader in the development of medicines that control the expression of genes, today announced the appointment of Deborah Dunsire, M.D., to the Company’s Board of Directors. Dr. Dunsire is a highly respected industry veteran with more than 30 years of clinical, commercial, and international management experience within the life sciences industry.

“Deborah is a phenomenal leader with a track record of creating value through successful development and commercialization of life-changing new therapies for people with cancer and other serious diseases,” said Nancy Simonian, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Syros. “Her global commercial expertise, oncology R&D experience, and unwavering commitment to patients will be invaluable to Syros as we continue to advance our targeted hematology and CDK7 programs to market. We are thrilled to welcome Deborah to our board.”

Dr. Dunsire currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of H. Lundbeck A/S, a global pharmaceutical company focused exclusively on treatments for brain disease. She has held the position since September 2018. She previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Xtuit Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a private biopharmaceutical company, from January 2017 to March 2018. Prior to her position at Xtuit, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of FORUM Pharmaceuticals Inc., a private pharmaceutical company, from July 2013 to May 2016. Prior to FORUM, Dr. Dunsire worked for Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited as a corporate officer from June 2010 to June 2011 and a Director from June 2011 to June 2013. She served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. between 2005 and 2008, when it was acquired by Takeda, and then as President and Chief Executive Officer of Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company after the acquisition between 2008 and 2013. Prior to Millennium, Dr. Dunsire held various roles of increasing responsibility at Novartis Pharma AG between 1988 and 2005. She currently serves as a Board member of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. and previously served on the boards of Alexion Pharmaceuticals and Allergan. Dr. Dunsire obtained an MBBCh from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.

“Syros has all the elements for building an enduring company – programs with the potential to set new standards of care for patients, a discovery engine to continue to fuel its pipeline, and great people,” said Dr. Dunsire. “I look forward to working with the board and the leadership team to accelerate Syros’ progress toward becoming a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company with medicines that make a profound difference for patients.”

About Syros Pharmaceuticals

Syros is redefining the power of small molecules to control the expression of genes. Based on its unique ability to elucidate regulatory regions of the genome, Syros aims to develop medicines that provide a profound benefit for patients with diseases that have eluded other genomics-based approaches. Syros is advancing a robust clinical-stage pipeline, including: tamibarotene, a first-in-class oral selective RARα agonist in RARA-positive patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia; SY-2101, a novel oral form of arsenic trioxide in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia; and SY-5609, a highly selective and potent oral CDK7 inhibitor in patients with select solid tumors. Syros also has multiple preclinical and discovery programs in oncology and monogenic diseases. For more information, visit www.syros.com and follow us on Twitter (@SyrosPharma) and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including without limitation statements regarding Syros’ ability to advance its clinical programs and to develop therapies to benefit patients. The words ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ “hope,” ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘would,’’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including Syros’ ability to: advance the development of its programs, including its targeted hematology and CDK7 programs, under the timelines it projects in current and future clinical trials; demonstrate in any current and future clinical trials the requisite safety, efficacy and combinability of its drug candidates; replicate scientific and non-clinical data in clinical trials; successfully develop a companion diagnostic test to identify patients with the RARA biomarker; obtain and maintain patent protection for its drug candidates and the freedom to operate under third party intellectual property; obtain and maintain necessary regulatory approvals; identify, enter into and maintain collaboration agreements with third parties, including its ability to perform under its collaboration agreements with Incyte Corporation and Global Blood Therapeutics; manage competition; manage expenses; raise the substantial additional capital needed to achieve its business objectives; attract and retain qualified personnel; and successfully execute on its business strategies; risks described under the caption “Risk Factors” in Syros’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, each of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and risks described in other filings that Syros makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. In addition, the extent to which the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact our workforce and our discovery research, supply chain and clinical trial operations activities, and the operations of the third parties on which we rely, will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the duration and severity of the outbreak, additional or modified government actions, and the actions that may be required to contain the virus or treat its impact. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Syros expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media
Naomi Aoki
Syros Pharmaceuticals
617-283-4298
naoki@syros.com

Investor
Hannah Deresiewicz
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
212-362-1200
hannah.deresiewicz@sternir.com