GlobeNewswire Inc | Aug 4, 2020 07:45AM EDT

August 04, 2020

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and NEW YORK, Aug. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BDTX), a precision oncology medicine company pioneering the discovery and development of small molecule, tumor-agnostic therapies, today announced the appointment of Fang Ni, Pharm.D., as Chief Business Officer.

Fangs proven track record in business development and corporate strategy, including his work as Black Diamonds interim Chief Business Officer, gives us confidence that he has the optimal expertise to expand and execute our strategic and business development initiatives, said David M. Epstein, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Black Diamond Therapeutics. Fangs leadership of this critical function will be key as we advance our pipeline of clinical and discovery programs derived from the MAP platform.

Black Diamond has pioneered a highly differentiated approach to drug discovery and development wherein population-level genomic data is integrated into discovery programs to identify, validate, and target entire oncogene mutation families, said Fang. I look forward to realizing the full potential of our platform by exploring new opportunities across our deep pipeline.

Fang joins Black Diamond most recently from Versant Ventures, where he served as Principal and member of the investment team. He was Black Diamonds founding Chief Business Officer following the Companys Versant-led Series A financing, making critical contributions to Black Diamonds corporate and business strategy. While at Versant, Fang also served as Interim Chief Business Officer for several new ventures, including Monte Rosa Therapeutics and Bright Peak Therapeutics. He was previously a Global Business Development & Licensing director within Roches Partnering organization, where he was responsible for leading transactions across oncology, immunology, and infectious and rare diseases. Fang earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Purdue University and then completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Rutgers University.

About Black DiamondBlack Diamond Therapeutics is a precision oncology medicine company pioneering the discovery of small molecule, tumor-agnostic therapies. Black Diamond targets undrugged mutations in patients with genetically defined cancers. Black Diamond is built upon a deep understanding of cancer genetics, protein structure and function, and medicinal chemistry. The Companys proprietary technology platform, Mutation-Allostery-Pharmacology (MAP) platform, is designed to allow Black Diamond to analyze population-level genetic sequencing data to identify oncogenic mutations that promote cancer across tumor types, group these mutations into families, and develop a single small molecule therapy in a tumor-agnostic manner that targets a specific family of mutations. Black Diamond was founded by David M. Epstein, Ph.D. and Elizabeth Buck, Ph.D., and, beginning in 2017, together with Versant Ventures, began building the MAP platform and chemistry discovery engine.For more information, please visit www.blackdiamondtherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsStatements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future plans or expectations for the Mutation-Allostery-Pharmacology platform and the continued development and advancement of the Companys pipeline. Any forward-looking statements in this statement are based on managements current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: the success, cost, and timing of the Companys product candidate development activities and planned clinical trials, the Companys ability to execute on its strategy, regulatory developments in the United States, the Companys ability to fund operations, and the impact that the current COVID-19 pandemic will have on the Companys clinical trials, supply chain, and operations, as well as those risks and uncertainties set forth in its 2019 annual report on Form 10-K filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its other filings filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Contacts:

For Investors:Natalie Wildenradtinvestors@bdtherapeutics.com

For Media:Kathy Vincent(310) 403-8951media@bdtherapeutics.com