Avenzo Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Barbara Bodem and Elizabeth Mily to Board of Directors as Independent Directors

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avenzo Therapeutics, Inc. (“Avenzo”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation oncology therapies, today announced the appointment of Barbara Bodem and Elizabeth Mily to its board of directors.

“We are delighted to welcome Barbara and Elizabeth as independent directors to our board of directors,” said Athena Countouriotis, M.D., Chair, President, and CEO of Avenzo. “Their proven track records along with their combined deep financial and business development expertise across the life science industry will be invaluable as we continue to advance our pipeline of potentially differentiated oncology therapies. We look forward to benefiting from their insights and leadership as we enter the next phase of our company’s growth.”

Ms. Bodem is an accomplished business leader and experienced board director with more than 30 years of experience across the healthcare industry. She currently serves on the boards of BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Enovis Corporation, and Option Care Health. She also serves on the boards of BiomEdit, LLC and NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, and is a board of trustees member for the Nature Conservancy of Indiana. Previously, she served on the boards for Turning Point Therapeutics and Syneos Health. During her career, Ms. Bodem held financial leadership roles at Dentsply Sirona, Inc., Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Hospira Inc., and Eli Lilly and Company, including serving as CFO of Lilly Oncology. She began her career at Irwin Management Company. Ms. Bodem earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Indiana University.

“I’m pleased to join Avenzo’s board and be part of a team united by a shared commitment to fight cancers with high unmet medical needs,” said Barbara Bodem. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my experience and perspective and to work alongside the Avenzo leadership team as they continue to develop next-generation oncology therapies.”

Ms. Mily is a proven business leader with more than 30 years of experience across the healthcare and financial services sectors. She currently serves on the boards of Solventum Corporation and Ampersand Biomedicines. She most recently served as CEO of the T1D Fund, an impact investing fund focused on Type 1 diabetes. Prior to the T1D Fund, she served as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at Bristol-Myers Squibb. She also previously chaired the Life Science investment banking business for Barclays, and served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Development for Thermo Fisher Scientific. She began her career at Goldman, Sachs & Co., ultimately serving as Managing Director in Healthcare Investment Banking. Ms. Mily earned a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in German Literature and European History from the Ohio State University.

“I’m honored to join Avenzo’s board of directors at such an exciting point in the company’s journey,” said Elizabeth Mily. “I look forward to working with my fellow directors and the Avenzo leadership team as they continue to advance their clinical programs and help transform cancer treatment.”

About Avenzo Therapeutics

Avenzo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation oncology therapies for patients. The company’s pipeline includes potentially differentiated small molecules and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Avenzo’s small molecule inhibitors, AVZO-021 and AVZO-023, are novel, highly potent and selective inhibitors of CDK2 and CDK4, respectively, which are key enzymes involved in cell cycle regulation. AVZO-021 is being studied in a Phase 1/2 study for the treatment of advanced solid tumors and in combinations in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. AVZO-021 and AVZO-023 are being studied in the ORION-1 Phase 1/2 study for the treatment of HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer, where AVZO-023 is administered in combination with endocrine therapy, with or without AVZO-021. Avenzo’s first ADC drug candidate, AVZO-1418, is a potentially differentiated EGFR/HER3 bispecific ADC that is being studied in the AVENTINE-1 Phase 1/2 study for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. Avenzo’s second ADC drug candidate, AVZO-103, is a potentially differentiated Nectin4/TROP2 bispecific ADC that is being studied in the BEACON-1 Phase 1/2 study for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. Avenzo is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, visit us at www.avenzotx.com or on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding: Avenzo's expectations with respect to its pipeline programs and clinical development plans, including the progress and results of the Phase 1/2 studies for AVZO-021, AVZO-023, AVZO-1418 and AVZO-103 (including the ORION-1, AVENTINE-1, and BEACON-1 studies); the expected contributions of Avenzo’s new directors; Avenzo’s expected growth; and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to: uncertainties associated with the clinical development and regulatory approval of product candidates; risks related to the inability of Avenzo to obtain sufficient additional capital to continue to advance its product candidates; risks related to the new directors’ abilities to perform as expected; and uncertainties regarding Avenzo’s abilities to achieve its long-term goals and capitalize on opportunities. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements. Avenzo expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.