San Francisco — Vir Biotechnology, Inc. has appointed David Liu, M.D., Ph.D., as executive vice president and chief medical officer, effective October 12.
Liu will lead the company’s clinical development, medical affairs and regulatory affairs functions.
“David brings extensive immuno-oncology leadership experience, a strong track record of advancing and securing approvals for innovative cancer therapies and deep expertise in global regulatory strategy and execution,” said Marianne De Backer, president and chief executive officer of Vir Biotechnology. “I look forward to partnering with him as we advance our Phase 3 program for chronic hepatitis delta and our pipeline of differentiated cancer immunotherapies, and to help us further explore the full potential of our capabilities and technology.”
Liu has more than 25 years of experience leading discovery, development and global regulatory efforts for oncology therapies in the United States, Europe, Japan and China.
He joins Vir Biotechnology from Nuvation Bio, where he served as chief medical officer. In that role, he led the company’s global clinical research and development organization, helped shape its development portfolio and supported the approval of its first oncology therapy.
Before Nuvation Bio, Liu served as chief medical officer of 3D Medicines. Earlier in his career, he was executive medical director of clinical research and development for lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia and global lead physician at Celgene Corporation. He also held leadership roles at Bristol Myers Squibb and worked as a scientist at AstraZeneca.
“Vir Biotechnology is on the forefront of developing next-generation cancer immunotherapies leveraging its expertise in antibody and T-cell engager design, and its novel masking technology,” Liu said. “I’m looking forward to building on the work this team has done particularly as the company enters an important period of execution across its programs.”
Liu received an M.D. in clinical medicine from Beijing Medical University, now Peking University School of Medicine, an M.S. in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Toledo and a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
