HONG KONG, CHINA - EQS�- 27 August 2019 -�Great Bay Bio, a leading AI biotechnology company dedicated to big
data-driven CMC (Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls) development of innovative
biologics, is pleased to announce that following the successful establishment
of the 3D Advisory Board in the middle of this month, the Science Sub-Committee
welcomes another new key member, Dr.
Mark McHale, to the team.
Dr. Mark
McHale received professional training in genetics,
biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of London and the
University of East Anglia (UEA UK). From 1986 to 1991, he obtained Ph.D. in molecular biology studying
under Professor Richard Oliver and carried out post-doctoral research.
Currently, he serves as the Head of R&D, Chief Development Officer and a
Founder of ASLAN Pharmaceuticals. He has responsibility for progressing novel
small molecule and biological therapies aimed at oncology and inflammation from
preclinical development to the end of phase II of clinical trials.
Previously, Dr. McHale was the Head of Molecular
Sciences at AstraZeneca Respiratory & Inflammation and in this role
supported small molecule and therapeutic antibody projects from target
identification to phase II of clinical trials. He was a core member of the
respiratory strategy team for the inflammation research area for half a decade
and personally led all new target identification in asthma. Dr. McHale moved
AstraZeneca into innate immunity with a strong focus immune checkpoint
modulation to enhance immune surveillance and also skew the immune system away
from allergy. In 2006, he led a $136M investment in the AZ/Dynavax
collaboration to produce inhaled TLR9 agonists for the treatment of asthma and
led the ongoing development projects which are currently in phase II of
clinical trials.
Prior to 2001, Dr. McHale worked for 7 years at
SmithKline Beecham, where he supported lead optimization projects in serotonin
and dopamine receptors as well as working on leptin and the PPAR gamma agonist
Avandia. He worked in neuroscience with Dr. Jackie Hunter for three years,
during which time he established molecular science laboratories and formed a
successful team to support molecular analysis of stroke and pain in order to
characterize disease and identify new targets from a large strategic
collaboration SmithKline had initiated with Human Genome Sciences.
The establishment of the 3D Advisory Board is part
of the company's mission of "Facing
Future Challenges with 3D Innovation". By combining three verticals of
innovation "business foresight + science-based
foundation + technology driven", the company hopes new breakthroughs to
tough market challenges can be hatched. Currently, the company has formed three
separate sub-committees (Business, Science and Technology) to provide a solid
foundation for Great Bay Bio's mission and, ultimately reach the company's vision
of "Making Biologics Development
Easy for Everyone".
On the arrival of another remarkable talent for the
Science Sub-Committee, Mr. Kingsley
Leung, Chairman and Co-founder of Great Bay Bio, said: "We are greatly
honored to have Dr. McHale join our Advisory Board. Dr. McHale has nearly 30
years of professional career in pharmaceutical research and drug R&D, and
more than 10 years of international experience in Asia and Australasia. His deep
industry experience across different therapeutic areas, and exposure to different
R&D cultures and regions, are testaments to the diverse and
multi-disciplinary nature of the Advisory Board we want to build. As I said
previously on the establishment of the 3D Advisory Committee earlier this month,
the best innovation comes from collaboration between people from different
backgrounds and expertise. The challenge of making traditional high-cost CMC
cheap is a difficult one to solve, and that is why we believe Recombinant Innovation is our best shot
of tackling it. The diverse background and experience Dr. McHale brings to our
mission is invaluable, and I strongly believe working closely with our other
Advisors will bring interesting solutions to the problem we want to solve".
About Great Bay Bio
Headquartered
in Hong Kong, the CMC/CDMO platform of Great Bay Bio was established in 2002,
where originally more than 100 million yuan was invested to build a national
level CMC platform. The CMC/CDMO platform has independent and integrated
technology platforms for drug R&D and large-scale preparation. The company
has a strong existing track record of developing customized CMC packages for biologic
products, some of which are national class I projects of innovative biological new
drugs that have already reached NDA stage.
Great Bay Bio
is leveraging on its established platform to develop a new vertical in CMC.
Specifically, Great Bay Bio strives to utilize AI and other cutting-edge
technologies to shorten CMC development timelines, lower cost, and increase
efficiency of CMC. With such a platform, it could expand and acquire new
customer base, and brings fundamental changes to drug development, and
ultimately benefiting society and patients.
The platform
has been recognized and certificated as "Patent Fostering
Enterprise", "Patent Pilot Enterprise", "National High-tech
Enterprise", "Dongguan New R&D Institution", "Guangdong
Top Ten Foreign-funded R&D Center" and "Guangdong Genetically
Pharmaceutical Engineering Research Center". Since 2006, it has undertaken
a number of government projects and obtained crucial breakthroughs in key areas
for Guangdong and Hong Kong. More than 20 million yuan have been received from
the government to support numerous provincial and national projects, such as
"National Major New Drug Innovation".
The CMC platform
encompasses an area of over 3100 square meter, and has a whole set of advanced
biopharmaceutical research and development hardware, with key equipment from world-class
brands such as Sartorius, Bio-Rad, GE Healthcare, and Waters. The pilot
workshop is designed strictly in accordance with cGMP requirements, with cleanroom
standards of C-level and partial A-level.
