Mario Sznol, MD, Leader of the Melanoma Clinical Research Team at the Yale Cancer Center, Joins Thetis Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Sznol to guide clinical investigation of Thetis lead compound TP-317 in metastatic melanoma
ESSEX, CT – (November 7, 2023) – Thetis Pharmaceuticals LLC (“Thetis”), a biopharmaceutical company developing a first-in-class, oral small molecule Resolvin E1-based drug to treat cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases, announced today that Dr. Mario Sznol has joined its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Sznol is Professor of Medicine, Clinical Research Team Leader (Melanoma-Renal Cancer Program), and Co-Leader of Cancer Immunology Program at the Yale Cancer Center.
Gary Mathias, Chief Executive Officer of Thetis, commented, “Dr. Sznol has an international reputation with unique expertise and experience in cancer immunotherapy, drug development for cancer, and treatment of patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. Dr. Sznol brings an important perspective to our clinical strategy for TP-317, which in preclinical studies has shown single agent efficacy comparable to standard-of-care immunotherapy and chemotherapy and enhanced efficacy when combined with these other agents in multiple tumor models including melanoma.”
Dr. Sznol noted that “TP-317 offers a highly differentiated strategy to address resistance to immunotherapy in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which is an important target in cancer drug development. I am delighted to join the Thetis SAB to help develop this promising small molecule drug for metastatic melanoma.”
Dr. Sznol joins the Thetis SAB with 35 years of experience in cancer research and development. He graduated from Baylor College of Medicine where he subsequently trained in internal medicine, and then completed a medical oncology fellowship in the Department of Neoplastic Diseases at Mount Sinai Hospital. He spent the next twelve years in the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program of the National Cancer Institute. From 1999-2004, he served as Vice President of Clinical Development and Executive Officer of Vion Pharmaceuticals in New Haven, Connecticut. In 2004, he joined the medical oncology faculty of the Yale University School of Medicine as co-leader of the Melanoma Program and is currently Professor of Internal Medicine, Leader of the Melanoma-Renal Cancer Clinical Research Team, and Co-Director of Cancer Immunology Program.
About Thetis Pharmaceuticals
Thetis is a pharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Its lead candidate, TP-317, is a first-in-class oral RvE1 drug candidate that targets the LTB4-BLT1 pathway to mobilize the body’s natural to resolve disease and restore immune homeostasis. Thetis is backed by private investors, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and prominent philanthropic organizations such as the Helmsley Charitable Trust, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, and Kenneth Rainin Foundation.
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