Syndax Announces Appointment of Richard P. Shea as Independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee

Print 23 January 2014

WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 23, 2014 - Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the appointment of Richard P. Shea to its board of directors as an independent director and chairman of the audit committee. Mr. Shea is an experienced biotechnology executive with wide ranging experience in finance and operations as well as managing venture financings, initial public offerings, secondary offerings and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Shea is currently senior vice president and chief financial officer of Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. where he managed a Series C venture round and various public offerings, including Momenta's initial public offering, which have raised over $300 million. Mr. Shea has also served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Variagenics, Inc. where he closed and managed the merger with Hyseq Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and managed a mezzanine financing and the company's $80 million initial public offering.

"We are fortunate to have someone with Rick's financial and business experience joining our board at a critical time in Syndax's development," said Dennis Podlesak, chairman of Syndax's board of directors. "Rick's experience will be indispensable to Syndax as it prepares to begin the Phase 3 study of entinostat in women with ER+ metastatic breast cancer in the first half of this year."

Prior to Variagenics, Mr. Shea was vice president, finance at Genetics Institute, LLC where he oversaw the growth of the company's annual revenues from $88 million to more than $400 million while the company grew from 600 employees to over 1,600. Mr. Shea holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and an MBA from the Public Management Program at Boston University.

About Syndax Pharmaceuticals

Syndax is developing entinostat for the treatment of patients with therapy-resistant cancers. Entinostat is designed to prolong the effectiveness of current cancer treatments through an epigenetic mechanism and has been designated a Breakthrough Therapy by the FDA when used in combination with exemestane in ER+ metastatic breast cancer. The company holds worldwide rights to entinostat, an oral, selective HDAC inhibitor that is expected to be evaluated in combination with exemestane in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical study for the treatment of ER+ metastatic breast cancer. 

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