Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Announces Appointment of Ron Squarer to its Board of Directors

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- Former CEO of Array BioPharma Brings Expertise in Oncology Drug Development and Commercialization -

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2019-- Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:DCPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company addressing key mechanisms of tumor drug resistance, today announced that it has appointed Ron Squarer to its Board of Directors. Mr. Squarer served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Array BioPharma, Inc. (Array) from 2012 until its acquisition by Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) in August 2019 following the successful commercial launches of both Braftovi® and Mektovi®.

“Ron brings over two decades of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry to our Board of Directors, with a focus and expertise in oncology drug development, commercialization, and new product launches,” said Steve Hoerter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Deciphera. “We look forward to his valuable insights as we build our commercial organization and advance our pipeline of novel product candidates.”

“I am excited to join Deciphera’s accomplished board members and impressive leadership team to help guide the Company in its progression to a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company,” said Mr. Squarer. “I believe that Deciphera is well-positioned to deliver on its mission to improve the lives of cancer patients, and look forward to contributing to the Company’s success.”

During his seven-year tenure at Array, Mr. Squarer executed a research, development, and commercialization strategy focused on oncology that culminated in the acquisition of Array by Pfizer for $11.8 billion. Before joining Array, Mr. Squarer held positions of increasing responsibility with Hospira, Inc., a global pharmaceutical and medical device company. As Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Hospira, he was responsible for delivering $4 billion in annual revenue. Mr. Squarer joined Hospira from Mayne Pharma, where he served as Senior Vice President, Global Corporate and Business Development, when Mayne was sold to Hospira in 2007. Before Mayne Pharma, Mr. Squarer held leadership roles at both Pfizer (focused on oncology), and SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals (now GlaxoSmithKline) in the U.S. and Europe. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Retrophin, Inc. Mr. Squarer earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

About Deciphera Pharmaceuticals

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients by addressing key mechanisms of drug resistance that limit the rate and/or durability of response to existing cancer therapies. Our small molecule drug candidates are directed against an important family of enzymes called kinases, known to be directly involved in the growth and spread of many cancers. We use our deep understanding of kinase biology together with a proprietary chemistry library to purposefully design compounds that maintain kinases in a “switched off” or inactivated conformation. These investigational therapies comprise tumor-targeted agents designed to address therapeutic resistance causing mutations and immuno-targeted agents designed to control the activation of immunokinases that suppress critical immune system regulators, and agents designed to inhibit reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism. We have used our platform to develop a diverse pipeline of tumor-targeted, immuno-targeted, and metabolism-targeted drug candidates designed to improve outcomes for patients with cancer by improving the quality, rate and/or durability of their responses to treatment.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding our expectations regarding future growth and scale of operations, potential growth into a commercial company and the potential of our pipeline product candidates to improve the lives of patients with cancer. The words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “target” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to the delay of any current or planned clinical studies or the development of our product candidates, including ripretinib, our ability to successfully demonstrate the efficacy and safety of our product candidates including in later-stage studies, the preclinical and clinical results for our product candidates, which may not support further development of such product candidates, the possibility that results experienced in early, preliminary, top-line or initial data, may not be indicative of the results experienced in final data, our ability to timely complete and prepare the information required for and file an NDA for ripretinib, the fact that receipt of a breakthrough therapy designation for a product candidate, such as ripretinib, may not result in us receiving any of the benefits of such designation, our ability to manage and our reliance on third parties such as our third party drug substance and drug product contract manufacturers, actions of regulatory agencies, any or all of which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical studies and the timing of and our ability to obtain regulatory approval, if at all, and make our investigational drugs available to patients, and other risks identified in our SEC filings, including our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, and subsequent filings with the SEC. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. We explicitly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Source: Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Investor Relations:
Jen Robinson
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
jrobinson@deciphera.com
781-906-1112

Media:
David Rosen
Argot Partners
David.Rosen@argotpartners.com
212-600-1902