Vuja De’s drug discovery platform is unique and focused on the largest unmet need in cancer and what matters most to patients – preventing deadly metastatic recurrence, Dr. Carl Barrett stated
NATICK, Mass. and HOBOKEN, N.J. (PRWEB)
December 21, 2021
Vuja De Sciences (“Vuja De”), a biotechnology startup dedicated to discovering therapies that prevent metastatic cancer recurrence by targeting the unique vulnerability of undetected disseminated tumor cells before they can cause deadly recurrence today announced the appointment of Dr. Carl Barrett to its Board of Directors. Dr. David Warshawsky, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Vuja De said: “Carl brings extensive experience in elucidating the biology of metastatic progression and leading translational medicine approaches at top institutions including at the National Cancer Institute and at leading large pharma. His significant insights, creativity and innovation will be invaluable to us as we work in house, and with biopharma partners, to discover and develop therapies that address, cancer metastasis, the most urgent need of most cancer patients. On behalf of Vuja De and the Board of Directors, it is my great pleasure to welcome Carl, and we look forward to drawing upon his scientific, translational and strategic judgment.”
Dr. Carl Barrett stated: “Vuja De’s drug discovery platform is unique and focused on the largest unmet need in cancer and what matters most to patients – preventing deadly metastatic recurrence. The company’s approach to exploiting the unique vulnerabilities of disseminated tumor cells before they cause deadly recurrence is at the cutting edge of research toward novel and potentially game-changing cures”. He added, “I am delighted to join the Vuja De board and to work with the team in earnest to translate the potential of this approach to novel treatments that have a major impact on the lives of those who have been affected by cancer”.
Dr. Carl Barrett
Dr. Barrett is vice-president of translational science in the Oncology Innovative Medicines Division at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. His responsibility is to develop and execute biomarker strategy and translational sciences efforts. Dr. Barrett’s longstanding research interests focus on the discovery of the critical genetic and epigenetic changes in the cancer cell, in particular the discovery of genes involved in breast cancer (BRCA1) and in the processes of cellular senescence and cancer metastasis. He has made significant contributions to the identification of molecular defects in cancers and the role of the biosystem in the carcinogenesis process. From 2005-2011, he was global head of oncology biomarkers and imaging at Novartis Oncology Translational Medicine. Prior to joining Novartis, Dr. Barrett was founding director of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Center for Cancer Research (CCR), which is the NCI intramural center for translation medicine and novel technologies. Prior to joining NCI, Dr. Barrett was the scientific director at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences where his efforts focused on integrating new approaches to toxicology by utilization of molecular approaches of toxicogenomics, molecular toxicology and the Environmental Genome Project. Trained as a chemist at the College of William and Mary, Dr. Barrett received his Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry from Johns Hopkins University. He has published over 600 research articles and reviews in leading scientific journals and books. He is a member of the Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars, an elected member of the Ramazini Foundation, an honorary member of the Japanese Cancer Association and a recipient of multiple National Institutes of Health awards and keynote lectures.
About Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is an aggressive cancer of the bone in dogs and human patients and is the most common type of bone cancer in children and teens. Despite successful control of the primary tumor and follow-up chemotherapy, metastasis continues to be the most common cause of mortality for both species. The last 30 years have brought little improvement in survival outcomes for children with osteosarcoma, despite intensification of therapy. Due to lack of improved outcomes, new approaches to therapy are highly needed. Furthermore, if targeted therapeutics are found to prevent metastasis in this human cancer, a strong biological rationale would exist for the evaluation of such a therapy in other human cancers.
About Vuja De Sciences
Vuja De is a biotechnology startup dedicated to developing cancer metastasis treatments that prevent cancer recurrence. We are using the largely adolescent, orphan disease, osteosarcoma, the best proof of concept model for developing anti metastatic progression drugs for many cancers such as breast, melanoma and kidney. We utilize leading laboratory technologies for metastatic preclinical endpoints in combination with comparative oncology (in the setting of cancer drug development, comparative oncology involves the inclusion of dogs with naturally occurring cancer in drug trials, where novel or repurposed drugs are tested to answer questions that cannot be answered in conventional animal models of cancer or human clinical trials) to de risk and inform product development and maximize likelihood for successful human oncology clinical trials. We are testing repurposed drugs that have previously been in human clinical trials, as well as novel preclinical drugs. For more information, please visit vujade-life.com.
Share article on social media or email: