Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Appoints Tucker Kelly as Chief Financial Officer
eciphera Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on advanced kinase inhibitor treatments targeting the tumor cell and the tumor microenvironment, today announced the appointment of Tucker Kelly as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Kelly brings over 18 years of financial leadership and strategic management experience to Deciphera.
“We are pleased to welcome Tucker to the Deciphera team,” said Michael D. Taylor, Ph.D., Deciphera’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Tucker has a significant track record of successful financing and strategic transactions including major accomplishments as CFO for both public and private biotech companies as well as a former life sciences investment banker and corporate and securities attorney. His broad range of financial, strategic and operational skills will add additional strength to our management team as our growth accelerates.”
“This is an exciting time to be joining Deciphera as the company’s pipeline of kinase inhibitor therapies continue to advance and show promise as important medicines across a range of cancers,” said Tucker Kelly. “Deciphera has the potential to be a game-changer in the oncology space with its unique approach to developing improved kinase inhibitor treatments that prevent tumor cells from thriving and spreading.”
Prior to joining Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Kelly served as Chief Financial Officer of AdvanDx, Inc., a private molecular diagnostics company. In addition, Mr. Kelly has served as Chief Financial Officer of deCODE Genetics and Critical Therapeutics (CRTX). Prior to joining Critical Therapeutics, Mr. Kelly held lead life science investment banking positions for Canaccord Adams and Robertson Stephens and as an attorney in the corporate and securities group for Foley, Hoag and Elliot, LLP. Mr. Kelly holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Services degree from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
About Deciphera Pharmaceuticals
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is inspired to improve treatment for patients with cancer by designing kinase inhibitor therapies that target the hallmarks of cancer biology. Our small-molecule drugs are specifically engineered to simultaneously block multiple cancer signaling mechanisms in the tumor cell and the tumor microenvironment to prevent growth and spread. Deciphera’s unique approach represents an important advance over current therapies in the durability of kinase inhibition and resiliency to genetic mutations to provide greater benefit across a range of cancers. Deciphera’s business strategy is to advance its drug candidates for genetically-defined cancers and cancers that target the tumor microenvironment through both proprietary and partnered programs.
Deciphera’s internal product pipeline includes altiratinib a MET/TIE2/VEGFR2/TRK kinase inhibitor currently in Phase 1 clinical development, a pan-KIT inhibitor (DCC-2618) currently in preclinical development and rebastinib, a TIE2/VEGFR1 kinase inhibitor currently in Phase 1 clinical development. Partnered programs include a pan-RAF inhibitor (LY-3009120) developed in collaboration with Eli Lilly. Additional research-stage programs are also in development.
Contacts:
Michael D. Taylor, Ph.D., Deciphera Pharmaceuticals
mtaylor@deciphera.com
617-460-7205
Media:
Gina Nugent, The Yates Network
gina@theyatesnetwork.com
617-460-3579