Phil L'Huillier to become new CEO at Oxford's Scancell
Scancell Holdings, the Oxford Science Park-based developer of novel immunotherapies for treating cancer, announced that Dr Phil L'Huillier will become its new CEO and a member of the board of directors with effect from November 18 this year.
Current CEO Professor Lindy Durrant will remain in the role until that date. She will also retain her position as chief scientific officer (CSO) and will remain on the board.
She said: "When I took on the role of CEO three years ago my priority was to see our products evaluated in the clinic.
"We are now successfully delivering the clinical trials for both SCIB1/iSCIB1+ in melanoma and Modi-1 in various solid tumours.
"In addition, our anti-glycan antibody platform continues to yield exciting results with potential acceleration into the clinic with revenue generating deals.
"Scancell is now in a position with exciting clinical data to move to a late-stage clinical company and this is an excellent opportunity for Phil to take the company forward and allow me the to refocus my entrepreneurial skills on developing the portfolio."
Before joining Scancell, Dr L'Huillier was CEO and managing director of CatalYm GmbH, a Germany-based pioneering cancer immunotherapy company.
There, he was instrumental in expanding the investor base and profile, successfully leading oversubscribed Series C and D financing rounds totalling over US$200 million. During his tenure, the company also successfully progressed the lead programme from Phase 1 to randomized Phase 2b clinical studies across several indications.
Prior to that, he was Head of the European Innovation Hub & Business Development for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at global pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD).
Dr Jean-Michel Cosséry, non-executive chairman at Scancell said: "Phil is an accomplished, results-driven leader with a proven track record in developing and commercialising novel cancer therapeutics."
L'Huillier, incoming CEO, added: "We are on the verge of a revolution in cancer therapy, driven by greater understanding of the human adaptive immune system. I am delighted to join Scancell at such an exciting juncture, with the company's complementary cancer vaccine platforms, ImmunoBody and Moditope, showing incredible potential in the clinic.
"Together with a dynamic and talented management team and board of directors, I am very much looking forward to building on the progress delivered under Lindy's leadership and realising the full potential of the core science to improve the lives of patients and create value for investors."
