Circle Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering next-generation targeted macrocycle therapeutics for cancer, has appointed Anne E. Borgman, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer.

Borgman is an accomplished Chief Medical Officer, business executive, scientific advisor and board director with more than 20 years of experience devising and executing clinical development strategies that have led to multiple oncology drug approvals.

“Dr. Borgman joins Circle with an established track record of leading clinical development teams to successful oncology drug approvals in both the U.S. and EU. Her ability to translate strong science into meaningful therapies for patients is exceptional,” said David J. Earp, J.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Circle Pharma. “Her leadership and deep experience will be instrumental as we continue the clinical development of our first-in-class cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor, CID-078, advance our cyclin D1 into the clinic, and prepare for the next stages of growth at Circle.”

Experience

Prior to joining Circle, Borgman served as Chief Medical Officer of Sutro Biopharma, where she advanced the company’s lead asset into pivotal trials in ovarian cancer and infant leukemia. Before that, she served as vice president and therapeutic area lead, oncology, hematology, and transplant, at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, where she was responsible for global drug development for four marketed products and drug development plans for several emerging targets.

Previously, Borgman was vice president, clinical research & development at Exelixis, where she helped lead the global development for cabozantinib and oversaw the development and execution of multiple Phase 3 clinical trials. She has also held leadership positions in oncology drug development at KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, Talon Therapeutics (formerly Hana Biosciences), and Abbott Laboratories.

Borgman currently serves on the board of directors of clinical-stage oncology companies NextCure, Curis, and NiKang. She received an M.D. from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and completed a residency in pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology and bone marrow transplantation from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She received her B.S. in biochemistry from University of Illinois.

“Circle Pharma’s MXMO platform is opening the door to a promising new class of targeted macrocycle therapies, with the potential to address some of the most challenging and impactful cancer targets such as the cyclins,” said Borgman. “I’m thrilled to join this talented team and to help guide the clinical development of programs that could make a real difference for patients with few treatment options.”

Earlier this year, Circle Pharma also appointed Rob Lauzen as Chief Financial Officer.