Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ:ONCY) (TSX:ONC), a leading clinical-stage company specializing in immunotherapeutics for oncology, today announced that Matt Coffey, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oncolytics will take a medical leave of absence, effective immediately. Wayne Pisano, Chair of Oncolytics' Board of Directors, will serve as the interim CEO during Dr. Coffey's absence.
"On behalf of the Board, I would like to wish Matt a swift recovery. In the interim, the Board and I are highly confident in our tenured executive team's ability to continue executing our mission, achieve our strategic priorities, and drive forward our registration-enabling clinical plans for pelareorep, a differentiated and potentially leading immunotherapeutic agent in breast and pancreatic cancers," said Wayne Pisano, Chair of Oncolytics' Board of Directors. "Together, we will continue to deliver on our long-term goals to ultimately bring pelareorep to patients with cancer."
Wayne Pisano, Chair of the Board since 2013, has more than 30 years of experience as a pharmaceutical industry executive and over 12 years of experience in the biotech industry. Mr. Pisano served as the president of VaxInnate, a privately held biotech company, and has served as a Board Director of several biotech companies, including Provention Bio and Altimmune Inc. He served as Chairman of Provention Bio for four years, overseeing the company's acquisition by Sanofi in April 2023.
Mr. Pisano is the former President and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur, one of the largest vaccine companies in the world. He is credited with driving Sanofi Pasteur's leadership within the worldwide influenza market, capturing 50% of global sales. He also laid the foundation for the company's global pediatric vaccines strategy and bolstered the Sanofi Pasteur pipeline with the acquisition of Acambis PLC, a biotech based in Boston, in 2008 and Shantha Biotechnics, a highly regarded Indian vaccine company in 2010. Prior to joining Sanofi Pasteur, he spent 11 years with Novartis (formerly Sandoz). He has a bachelor's degree in biology from St. John Fisher University in New York and an MBA from the University of Dayton in Ohio.