Syndax Adds Global Pharmaceutical Business Veteran to Board of Directors

WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 05, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Syndax," the "Company" or "we") (Nasdaq:SNDX), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing entinostat and SNDX-6352 in multiple cancer indications, today announced the appointment of Pierre Legault, MBA, CA, CPA to its board of directors.

Mr. Legault has extraordinarily vast executive management experience, including more than 35 years spent executing creative financing strategies, driving corporate development, and constructing value-enhancing transactions for international biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. In addition, Mr. Legault has significant experience serving on the board of directors and audit committees of public companies.

"I am very pleased to welcome Pierre Legault to our board of directors," said Dennis Podlesak, chairman of Syndax. "His broad global experience in drug development and commercialization will be an important asset as we continue the expansion of our late stage clinical pipeline and maximize our business opportunities with entinostat. We look forward to working with Pierre and to him contributing to our future success."

Mr. Legault currently serves on the board of Poxel Pharmaceuticals, Iroko Pharmaceuticals and NephroGenex, and he most recently served as board member, chairman, and audit chair, respectively, as well as on the compensation and other committees, of several leading companies that were successfully acquired, notably, NPS Pharmaceuticals, Forest Laboratories, Eckerd Pharmacy and Tobira Therapeutics. Mr. Legault's prior executive experience includes serving as Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer of several public companies such as Eckerd Pharmacy, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Prosidion, Ltd, and Rite Aid. He has also held several senior positions with Sanofi-Aventis and predecessor companies, including President of Worldwide Dermatology Operations. He studied at McGill University, University of Montreal (HEC), and Harvard Business School, and holds a Six Sigma Green Belt, a BAA, MBA, CA and CPA diploma.

"I am excited to be joining Syndax as this is a very important time for the Company with significant upcoming clinical milestones in 2017," said Mr. Legault. "I look forward to working with the Syndax management team and board to help unlock value and successfully execute on the Company's strategic goals to maximize shareholder value."

About Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Syndax is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing an innovative pipeline of combination therapies in multiple cancer indications. Our lead product candidate, entinostat, which was granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA following positive results from our Phase 2b clinical trial, ENCORE 301, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical trial for advanced hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative breast cancer. Syndax is developing entinostat, which has direct effects on both cancer cells and immune regulatory cells, and SNDX-6352, an anti-CSF-1R monoclonal antibody, to enhance the body's immune response on tumors that have shown sensitivity to immunotherapy. Entinostat is being evaluated as a combination therapeutic in Phase 1b/2 clinical trials with Merck & Co., Inc. for non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma; with Genentech, Inc. for TNBC; and with Pfizer Inc. and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, for ovarian cancer. SNDX-6352 is being evaluated in a single ascending dose Phase 1 clinical trial and is expected to be developed to treat a variety of cancers. For more information on Syndax, please visit www.syndax.com.

Syndax's Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "believe" and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Syndax's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the progress, timing, clinical development and scope of clinical trials and the reporting of clinical data for Syndax's product candidates, and the potential use of SNDX-6352 to treat various cancer indications. Many factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results including unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical or clinical studies, clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected, changes in expected or existing competition, changes in the regulatory environment, failure of Syndax's collaborators to support or advance collaborations or product candidates and unexpected litigation or other disputes. Other factors that may cause Syndax's actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Syndax's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" sections contained therein. Except as required by law, Syndax assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, even as new information becomes available.