TORL BioTherapeutics Announces Appointment of Howard A. "Skip" Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO as Board Member

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TORL BioTherapeutics, LLC (TORL), a clinical stage biotechnology company discovering and developing new antibody-based immunotherapies to improve and extend the lives of patients with cancer worldwide, today announced the appointment of Howard A. "Skip" Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO as Board Member.

"We are thrilled to have Skip join TORL's Board. He is a renowned medical oncologist with decades of success developing first-in-human cancer therapies, many now FDA approved and that have become global standards of care," said Mark J. Alles, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at TORL BioTherapeutics. 

Dr. Burris serves as president and chief medical officer for the Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), one of the world's leading oncology research organizations conducting community-based clinical trials. In addition to his clinical expertise, Dr. Burris is well-known for his leadership in business strategy and execution.

"This time is a transformational period for TORL as it continues to advance its Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) programs into early and mid-stage clinical trials.  I am excited to join the TORL Board and collaborate with fellow board members and management to continue the Company's momentum developing new treatments for patients with cancer," said Dr. Burris. 

"We are extremely excited and very fortunate to have Skip join the TORL Board. There is little question that TORL will significantly benefit from Skip's insights and past experience in drug development as we accelerate our own clinical development programs of several high-potential antibody-based therapies for serious unmet needs in cancer," said Board Member and Scientific Co-founder Dennis Slamon, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, and Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.  

Dr. Burris served as the elected president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO®) in 2019-2020 holding leadership positions both before and after his ASCO President role and is an active member of the ASCO community. Currently, Skip is chair of the Board for the ASCO® Conquer Cancer Foundation. He has authored over 400 publications and 700 abstracts.

"Skip brings an exceptional level of drug development and clinical trial experience to TORL's already highly accomplished board. His leadership and insight will be invaluable given our intent to initiate our registrational phase 2 trial for TORL123-001 (Claudin 6 ADC) this year," said Dave Licata, Co-founder, Board Member, President and CFO of TORL BioTherapeutics.

Dr. Burris received his undergraduate degree at West Point, his medical degree from the University of South Alabama and performed his residency and fellowship in hematology/oncology at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. While there, he served as director of clinical research at the Institute for Drug Development of The Cancer Therapy and Research Center and was an associate professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center. He attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the US Army, and among his decorations, he was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster for his service in Operation Joint Endeavor.

About the TORL123-001 (TRIO-049) Clinical Study

Select centers are enrolling patients in Part 2, expansion, of TORL's phase 1 study, TORL123-001 (TRIO-049), assessing the safety, pharmacokinetics, biomarkers, and antitumor activity of TORL-1-23.  Further details including current study sites can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT05103683 

About TORL2307MAB-001 (TRIO-051) Clinical Study

TORL is currently enrolling patients in Part 2, the expansion portion, of their phase 1 study, TORL2307MAB-001 (TRIO-051), assessing the safety, pharmacokinetics, biomarkers, and antitumor activity of TORL-2-307MAB at select global sites around the world.  Further details including current study sites can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05159440 

About TORL2307ADC-001 (TRIO-052) Clinical Study

TORL's Phase 1 study, TORL2307ADC-001 (TRIO-052), is currently open to enrollment for the expansion portion, Part 2, assessing the safety, pharmacokinetics, biomarkers, and antitumor activity of TORL-2-307ADC. Further details including current study sites can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05156866 

About TORL3600-001 (TRIO-055) Clinical Study

A limited set of sites are currently enrolling patients in the escalation portion of TORL's phase 1 study, TORL3600-001 (TRIO-055), assessing the safety, pharmacokinetics, biomarkers, and antitumor activity of TORL-3-600. Further details including current study sites can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05948826 

About TORL 4-500-001 (TRIO-056) Clinical Study

This Phase 1 study, TORL4500-001 (TRIO-056), is actively enrolling patients in the escalation portion, part 1, assessing the safety, pharmacokinetics, biomarkers, and antitumor activity of TORL-4-500.  The study is open at an exclusive group of sites. Further details including current study sites can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06005740 

About TORL BioTherapeutics, LLC

TORL BioTherapeutics, LLC (TORL or Company) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing new antibodies, both monoclonal (mAbs) and drug conjugates (ADCs), with the goal of transforming the lives of patients challenged with a variety of human malignancies. Through a strategic partnership with the Slamon Research Lab at UCLA, TORL has exclusive development and commercial rights to a large program of biologics-based drugs for new, promising, and novel cancer targets.

SOURCE TORL Biotherapeutics LLC