3-V Biosciences Names Dr. William McCulloch Chief Medical Officer

MENLO PARK, Calif., Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 3-V Biosciences, Inc. (3-V), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics that modulate key pathways in oncology and infectious disease, today announced that William McCulloch, MB, ChB, FRCP, FFPM has joined the company as Chief Medical Officer.  Dr. McCulloch brings nearly three decades of senior research and development experience to 3-V, including an extensive preclinical and clinical development background in oncology.  Dr. McCulloch will be responsible for 3-V's clinical, medical affairs and regulatory functions, overseeing strategy and implementation for the advancement of 3-V's pipeline of proprietary therapeutic candidates. 

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"With a thorough understanding of the oncology field and many years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, Bill brings significant breadth and depth to our executive team," said Merdad Parsey, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of 3-V Biosciences.  "Bill will provide invaluable leadership as we move forward in the clinical evaluation of our lead FASN inhibitor in patients with solid tumors."

"I look forward to leading the development of TVB-2640, a promising fatty acid synthase inhibitor, through clinical development. Our first study will explore safety, dosing levels and initial anti-cancer activity in patients with advanced solid tumors," said Dr. McCulloch.  "I was attracted to this position based on the potential of TVB-2640, as well as 3-V's wealth of opportunity based on its drug discovery capabilities, leadership team and backing from top venture capital firms."

Dr. McCulloch previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he led the regulatory strategy and oversaw the conduct of the pivotal trial that led to approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of their HDAC inhibitor romidepsin (Istodax^®) in November 2009 and the subsequent acquisition of Gloucester by Celgene Corporation in January 2010.  He also served as an Executive Vice President and Medical Director at Pappas Ventures, lending his clinical and medical expertise to their portfolio companies.  Dr. McCulloch has worked for large pharmaceutical companies Bristol-Myers and Astra AB, start-up companies U.S. Bioscience and Sparta Pharmaceuticals, and most recently has served as President of Alba BioPharm Advisors, Inc.   He has undertaken all phases of drug and technology development and has been directly involved in the U.S. and Europe in filing INDs/CTAs and NDAs/MAAs, with their requisite face-to-face regulatory meetings, securing orphan drug status for compounds and obtaining SBIR and other grant funding for his projects.  Dr. McCulloch practiced medicine for seven years in the U.K., including post-graduate training in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, before joining the international pharmaceutical industry in 1984.  He holds a medical degree (M.B., Ch.B.) from the University of Glasgow in Scotland, is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Glasgow and is also a Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom.

About FASN Inhibition
FASN over-expression is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis in a number of cancers.  In a series of preclinical studies, 3-V's FASN inhibitors demonstrated potent activity against multiple tumor types, including breast, lung, pancreatic, ovarian and colon cancers.  Single-agent and combinations of 3-V FASN inhibitors have both blocked tumor growth and resulted in significant tumor regression in patient-derived xenografts.

About 3-V Biosciences
3-V Biosciences, Inc. is a privately held biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing therapeutics that modulate key pathways in oncology and infectious disease.  In oncology, the company's lead candidate is a fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitor that blocks tumor cell signaling pathways and induces tumor cell apoptosis.  3-V's antiviral therapeutics block host-pathogen interactions, resulting in robust and broad-spectrum antiviral activity, including efficacy against viruses resistant to other classes of antiviral drugs, and a high barrier to resistance.  The 3-V team applies an integrated approach, leveraging internal expertise in biology, medicinal chemistry, drug discovery and development to drive programs forward.  The company is located in Menlo Park, California.

For additional information on 3-V Biosciences, please visit www.3vbio.com.

Contact Information
Merdad Parsey, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
650-561-8600

Media Inquiries
BCC Partners on behalf of 3-V Biosciences, Inc.
Karen L. Bergman
650-575-1509
[email protected]
Michelle Corral
415-794-8662
[email protected]

SOURCE 3-V Biosciences, Inc.