BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AVEO Oncology (Nasdaq: AVEO) today announced the appointment of David Crist as Vice President of Sales. In this role, Mr. Crist will be responsible for building out AVEO’s sales force in anticipation of the potential approval and launch of tivozanib, the Company’s next-generation vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI), as a treatment for relapsed or refractory renal cell carcinoma.
“We are excited to welcome David to the AVEO team as we continue to prepare for the potential commercial launch of tivozanib in the U.S.,” said Mike Ferraresso, senior vice president, business analytics and commercial operations of AVEO. “David’s proven track record of success and deep experience with the launch and growth of new oncology therapies will play an important role in the success of our commercial strategy and team. Our commercial team and I look forward to working closely with him throughout this process.”
“I am pleased to join AVEO during this transformational period for the Company, as it prepares for the potential launch of tivozanib in the U.S.,” said Mr. Crist. “I believe that tivozanib has the potential to be an important new treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory renal cell carcinoma with what would be the first evidence-based roadmap for treatment decisions in the third-plus-line setting, including for patients receiving earlier-line immunotherapy. I look forward to working alongside this talented team as AVEO moves toward the potential commercialization of tivozanib in the U.S.”
Mr. Crist brings more than twenty years of oncology sales experience in both launch-stage and late-stage companies, building commercial organizations and developing high performing sales force teams. During his career, Mr. Crist held oncology-focused sales roles at several leading pharmaceutical companies including MGI (Molecular Genetics, Inc), Eisai, Sanofi Genzyme, GlaxoSmithKline and ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, where he led their sales organization in the successful relaunch of ICLUSIG® (ponatinib), which contributed to the acquisition of ARIAD by Takeda Oncology in 2017. Following the acquisition, he continued at Takeda to successfully launch ALUNBRIG® (brigatinib), which exceeded launch year and subsequent year forecasts nationally. Directly prior to joining AVEO, Mr. Crist served as general manager, hematology oncology U.S. franchise at argenx, a global immunology company, where he led commercial development for two of the company’s hematology and oncology compounds. Mr. Crist holds a B.S. from Florida State University.
About AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
AVEO is an oncology focused biopharmaceutical company committed to delivering medicines that provide a better life for cancer patients. AVEO’s strategy is to focus its resources toward development and commercialization of its product candidates in North America, while leveraging partnerships to support development and commercialization in other geographies. AVEO’s lead candidate, tivozanib is approved as FOTIVDA® in the European Union and other countries in the EUSA territory for the treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. AVEO is working to develop and potentially commercialize tivozanib in the U.S. as a treatment for renal cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. AVEO has previously reported promising early clinical data on ficlatuzumab (anti-HGF mAb) in head and neck cancer, acute myeloid leukemia and pancreatic cancer and is conducting a randomized Phase 2 confirmatory clinical trial of ficlatuzumab in head and neck cancer. AVEO’s earlier-stage pipeline includes several monoclonal antibodies in oncology development, including AV-203 (anti-ErbB3 mAb), AV-380 (anti-GDF15 mAb) and AV-353 (anti-Notch 3 mAb). AVEO is committed to creating an environment of diversity and inclusion as a foundation for innovation.
