Ankyra Therapeutics Appoints Robert V. Tighe, an accomplished industry veteran, as Chief Scientific Officer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ankyra Therapeutics, a pre-clinical biotechnology company developing targeted immune potentiating agents for the treatment of cancer, today announced the appointment of Robert V. Tighe, as chief scientific officer. He joined the team on July 10, 2023 and brings considerable immuno-oncology drug development experience to the company.

“Rob is an outstanding scientist who has over 20 years of drug development experience with a focus on immuno-oncology,” said Dr. Howard L. Kaufman, president and chief executive officer of Ankyra. "I am delighted to be working with Rob again, especially at this important time in Ankyra’s history as we prepare to transition our first agent into the clinic”. Kaufman added, “Rob’s track record with moving early-stage assets into the clinic makes him the right person for Ankyra at the right time.”

Rob began his career as a research assistant in the laboratory of Dr. Robert Weinberg at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has over 20 years of industry experience and has previously served as associate director of immunopharmacology at EMD Serono, vice-president of translational immunology and immunopharmacology at Compass Therapeutics, and most recently was vice-president of research at TCR2 Therapeutics. Mr. Tighe completed his undergraduate training at Salem State College and has attended the Harvard University Extension School, the International Management Program at Merck, KGaA, and has a certificate in executive leadership from Cornell University.

"I am absolutely delighted to become a part of Ankyra Therapeutics, especially at this pivotal stage in the company’s journey,” said Robert V. Tighe, the newly appointed chief scientific officer of Ankyra. “With great enthusiasm, I anticipate leveraging my broad experiences in the development of immunotherapies to help realize the full potential of Ankyra’s remarkable platform. Together, we aim to build a strong pipeline of tumor-anchored immunotherapies that hold tremendous promise for patients with cancer.”

About Ankyra Therapeutics

Ankyra Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that has developed a highly differentiated technology platform designed to expand the therapeutic window of cytokine drugs. By forming a stable depot in the tumor after local administration, Ankyra’s therapeutic aim is to provide prolonged immune activation and potent local and systemic immunity with reduced systemic toxicity. Ankyra was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.ankyratx.com.

For Investor Inquiries:
Howard L. Kaufman
President and CEO
hkaufman@ankyratx.com

For Media Inquiries:
Noah Oshry
Head of Business Operations
noshry@ankyratx.com