LianBio Appoints Michael Humphries as Chief Scientific Advisor

SHANGHAI & PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LianBio, a biotechnology company dedicated to bringing paradigm-shifting medicines to patients in China and other major Asian markets, today announced that it has appointed Michael Humphries, FRCP, as Chief Scientific Advisor. In this role, Dr. Humphries will leverage his extensive China experience to guide LianBio’s R&D strategy, advance the company’s pipeline, and lead the scientific assessment of new in-licensing opportunities. Dr. Humphries will be based in the company’s Shanghai headquarters.

“Michael brings a 30-year track record of successfully advancing therapeutic candidates through regulatory approval in China, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the LianBio team,” said Yizhe Wang, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at LianBio. “With his cross-therapeutic area expertise and experience as Chief Scientific Officer, Chief Medical Officer and country Medical Director for multi-national corporations and biotech companies in China, Michael is a great fit to join the leadership team of our growing clinical organization as we advance our innovative pipeline of product candidates for patients in Asia.”

Dr. Humphries has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry and in all phases of clinical research. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to more than 60 new drug application approvals in China across major therapeutic areas. Dr. Humphries also brings vast knowledge of both drug regulation and safety in the Asia Pacific region.

Dr. Humphries most recently served as Chief Medical Officer and Head of Development Strategy at CellularBioMedicine Group in Shanghai, where he was responsible for the clinical development of various cell-based therapies. From 2004 until 2018, Dr. Humphries held various senior leadership roles at Novartis including Chief Scientific Officer at Novartis Development China. He previously held the role of Country Medical Director at GlaxoWellcome/GSK China from 1998 to 2004, and from 1990 until 1998, Dr. Humphries was Regional Medical Director, Roche China/Hong Kong/Asia-Pacific.

“Over the last year, LianBio has made great strides in building a pipeline with the potential to address substantial medical needs,” said Dr. Humphries. “I’m excited to join the LianBio team in its mission to bring innovative medicines to historically underserved patient populations throughout Asia.”

Dr. Humphries studied medicine at the University of Cambridge, before attending Guy’s Hospital Medical School, University of London. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, while also holding other Fellowships at the Hong Kong College of Physicians and Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. He was formerly an Honorary Adjunct Professor at both the Faculty of Medicine Hong Kong University (medicine, microbiology) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (medicine, public health). Following residency appointments in London, and a research appointment at the UK Medical Research Council, he moved to Hong Kong in 1984 and was subsequently appointed Consultant Chest Physician to the Ruttonjee Hospital.

About LianBio

LianBio is a cross-border biotechnology company on a mission to bring transformative medicines to historically underserved patients in China and other Asian markets. Through partnerships with highly innovative biopharmaceutical companies around the world, LianBio is advancing a diversified portfolio of clinically validated product candidates with the potential to drive new standards of care across cardiovascular, oncology, ophthalmology, inflammatory disease and respiratory indications. LianBio is establishing an international infrastructure to position the company as a partner of choice with a platform to provide access to China and other Asian markets. For more information, please visit www.lianbio.com.

For investor inquiries, please contact:
Elizabeth Anderson, VP Communications and Investor Relations
E: elizabeth.anderson@lianbio.com
T: +1 646 655 8390

For media inquiries, please contact:
Katherine Smith, CanaleComm
E: katherine.smith@canalecomm.com
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