TORL BioTherapeutics Appoints Aran Maree, M.D., as Chief Executive Officer and Evolves Leadership for Next Phase of Growth

Aran Maree, M.D., who served as Chief Medical Officer since 2024, appointed Chief Executive Officer and Board Member succeeding Mark Alles who will continue as Board Chairman

LOS ANGELES, May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TORL BioTherapeutics LLC (TORL), a clinical stage oncology focused biotechnology company, today announced a leadership transition to position the Company for its next phase of growth. Effective as of May 1, 2026, Aran Maree, M.D., is appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Board Member. Dr. Maree succeeds Mark Alles, who will continue to support the Company as Chairman of the Board.

"TORL was founded to discover, develop, and commercialize first- and best-in-class cancer therapeutics. Given Aran's highly successful, multi-decade industry career, and the leadership he has demonstrated throughout his tenure as TORL's first Chief Medical Officer, the Board and I are confident he has the experience, insight, and passion to continue to guide TORL through and beyond this critical next phase of clinical milestones," said Mark J. Alles, Chairman of TORL BioTherapeutics. "His appointment reflects a carefully planned leadership transition designed to position TORL for growth and operational scale, and I look forward to continuing to work with Aran and the rest of the TORL team to improve patient outcomes."

Dr. Maree joined TORL in October 2024 as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). In that role, he led the clinical advancement of TORL's first-in-class Claudin 6 (CLDN6)-targeted antibody drug conjugate (ADC) ixotatug vedotin (Ixo-V; TORL-1-23), accelerating global enrollment in the registrational Phase 2 study,  CATALINA-2, in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC), and expanding Ixo-V clinical development beyond PROC. In collaboration with our discovery partners at UCLA, Dr. Maree has led TORL's development of multiple Investigational New Drug applications (INDs) across its differentiated early portfolio. These include TORL's first hematology asset, which is now in Phase 1, and accelerating IND-enabling work for TORL's next wave of programs.

"I am honored to step into the CEO role with the support of Mark Alles and the TORL Board as we advance Ixo-V toward its first regulatory filings and build out our early-stage pipeline," said Aran Maree, M.D., Chief Executive Officer. "TORL exists to develop antibody-based therapies that meaningfully improve the lives of people with cancer. With our expanding leadership team, we are well-positioned to deliver on our mission."

Dr. Maree's appointment is part of a broader strategic plan to strengthen TORL's leadership team and enhance governance as the Company progresses toward late-stage development and potential commercialization. A search for TORL's next CMO is now underway. Earlier in 2026, and as part of this succession plan, TORL appointed multiple proven leaders into new roles designed to further prepare the organization for future growth. Together, TORL's leadership team has decades of experience building biotechnology companies and developing practice-changing therapies for patients with serious unmet medical needs. Newly appointed executive team members include:

• Christine Loggins, MBA - Chief Operating Officer
• Steve Ritland, Ph.D.  - Chief Scientific Officer
• Vince Ruiz, J.D.  - General Counsel

To date, TORL has raised more than $450M from leading global biotechnology investors. Beyond its lead CLDN6 program, the Company's pipeline includes an ADC targeting Delta-like Non-canonical Notch Ligand 1 (DLK1), along with additional undisclosed targets spanning solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.

About Claudin 6

Claudin 6 (CLDN6) is overexpressed in several cancers with limited to no detectable expression observed in normal tissues, making it an ideal target for ADC development. CLDN6 is a transmembrane protein and member of a family of proteins important for cell-to-cell connectivity in normal tissues. CLDN6 expression normally occurs during embryonic and fetal development but not in adult tissues. Overexpression of CLDN6 occurs in specific malignancies and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of certain cancers including ovarian, non-small cell lung, endometrial and testicular malignancies. High expression correlates with shortened survival outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer.

About Ixotatug Vedotin (Ixo-V; TORL-1-23)

Ixotatug vedotin is a first- and potentially best-in-class clinical-stage ADC for the treatment of CLDN6+ solid tumors. Ixotatug vedotin has received Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. TORL BioTherapeutics is currently enrolling the pivotal Phase 2 CATALINA-2 study of ixotatug vedotin in women with CLDN6+ PROC. Further details can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06690775.

About CATALINA-2

CATALINA-2 is a global, randomized, open-label Phase 2 study of novel CLDN6-targeted ADC ixotatug vedotin in women with CLDN6+ PROC who have received one to three prior lines of therapy. The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review. Secondary endpoints consist of duration of response, ORR by investigator assessment, progression-free survival, overall survival and safety. Further details can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06690775.

About TORL BioTherapeutics LLC

TORL is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing new antibodies, both monoclonal antibodies and 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