CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new treatments for prostate cancer, today announced the appointment of Jodie Morrison to the position of chief executive officer. Ms. Morrison’s appointment follows the recent departure of former president and chief executive officer Martin Williams, who has left the company to pursue other opportunities.
“Tokai has made impressive progress under Jodie’s clinical and operational leadership since 2006,” said Seth Harrison, M.D., chairman of the Tokai Board of Directors and managing general partner, Apple Tree Partners. “This is a very exciting time for Tokai as the company continues to advance its lead prostate cancer drug galeterone in the ongoing ARMOR2 Phase 2 study. We believe galeterone has the potential to be an important new treatment option for patients with advanced prostate cancer, and we are confident in Jodie’s ability to continue to execute Tokai’s goals and drive the late-stage clinical development of this program.”
Ms. Morrison has held multiple positions of increasing responsibility during her nearly seven years at Tokai, most recently serving as chief operating officer and vice president, clinical affairs. She has more than 15 years of development experience in oncology, urology, women’s health and other therapeutic areas. Prior to joining Tokai, Ms. Morrison was director of clinical operations and medical affairs at Dyax Corporation, and she previously held clinical management positions at both Curis, Inc. and at Diacrin, Inc.
About Tokai Pharmaceuticals
Tokai Pharmaceuticals is a U.S. biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new treatments for prostate cancer. The company’s lead drug candidate, galeterone (TOK- 001), is the first investigational new drug that can decrease overall androgen receptor levels in prostate tumors and in which three distinct mechanisms of action are combined to disrupt androgen receptor signaling in one oncotherapeutic. Galeterone is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study, ARMOR2, in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Tokai is backed by Apple Tree Partners and Novartis Venture Fund. For more information on the company and galeterone, please visit www.tokaipharma.com.