Zymeworks Inc., a biotechnology company managing a portfolio of licensed healthcare assets, while developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional biotherapeutics announced the appointment of Scott Platshon as Acting Chief Investment Officer.
Mr. Platshon will report directly to Zymeworks’ Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth Galbraith, and work closely with him to manage expected future cash flows from Ziihera (zanidatamab-hrii) and other healthcare assets and licensed product candidates, such as pasritamig, which is being advanced to Phase 3 registration studies by Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. He will also manage the operational execution of Zymeworks’ healthcare asset aggregation strategy.
Concurrent with this appointment, Mr. Platshon has stepped down from the Company’s Board of Directors. As this is a part-time role, he will also continue to serve as a Partner at EcoR1 Capital, LLC, a biotech-focused investment fund.
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“Following the positive topline data from the Phase 3 HERIZON-GEA-01 trial evaluating zanidatamab in combination with chemotherapy with or without the PD-1 inhibitor Tevimbra® (tislelizumab), we are strategically positioned to drive long-term returns by building a diversified portfolio of revenue-generating assets,” said Mr. Galbraith. “Scott has played a key role in managing EcoR1’s investment in Zymeworks, including joining our Board in February 2024. He has been working closely with me and the Board to complement our active R&D operations with a novel strategic initiative of actively managing and aggregating revenue-generating assets to generate attractive long-term shareholder returns from an integrated business approach. Scott’s deep investment expertise, in-depth knowledge of the Company and our strategic objectives, and global network make him uniquely suited to help accelerate these efforts and protect and manage value arising from our royalty portfolio.”
Mr. Platshon has worked at EcoR1 Capital since 2015, and served as a Partner since 2020. Prior to joining the firm, he was an analyst at Aquilo Partners, a San Francisco-based boutique life sciences investment bank. Mr. Platshon also sits on the board of directors of Kumquat Biosciences and Ajax Therapeutics. Mr. Platshon holds a B.S. in Bioengineering from Stanford University.
“I am eager to continue working closely with Zymeworks, now in this new role, at such a pivotal moment, and share in the Company’s unified strategic vision to pursue innovation and growth,” said Scott Platshon. “The Company has built a strong financial foundation with Ziihera, its broader platform collaborations and wholly-owned R&D portfolio, and I see tremendous opportunity to leverage these cash flows to build a disciplined, high-return portfolio that creates sustainable value creation over the long-term. I look forward to enhancing my involvement within the Zymeworks team and forging new capital streams to deliver meaningful returns for shareholders.”
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