Adagene (NASDAQ: ADAG) has announced the appointment of immuno-oncology pioneer, Axel Hoos, MD, PhD, as executive advisor.
Most recently, Dr. Hoos served as CEO of Scorpion Therapeutics, which was acquired by Eli Lilly in 2025 for up to $2.5 billion. Previously, he was the SVP and head of the oncology therapeutic area at GSK, where he oversaw the rebuilding of GSK’s oncology business after its divestiture to Novartis in 2015. Prior to GSK, Dr. Hoos was the global medical lead in immunology/oncology at Bristol-Myers Squibb where he and his team developed YERVOY(Ipilimumab), the first immune checkpoint inhibitor drug, and created the term immuno-oncology to characterize the interplay of the immune system and cancer in immunotherapy drug development.
In a statement, Dr. Hoos commented, “Adagene is advancing the field of immuno-oncology with its pipeline of innovative antibodies centered around CTLA-4, a master-regulator of T-cell responses. This includes ADG116 to differentially engage CTLA-4 for greater T-regdepletion, and ADG126 to mask the CTLA-4 binder (ADG116) until it reaches the tumor microenvironment aiming for an enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity profile. The design of these antibodies may allow a broader utility of CTLA-4 targeting in cancer immunotherapy. CTLA-4 is a proven but notoriously difficult target. Most next-generation programs have not been able to overcome the narrow therapeutic window thus requiring novel designs. With Adagene’s programs the benefit/risk ratio of CTLA-4 targeting may favorably shift and allow treatment of new populations such as cold tumors like MSS CRC, where current immunotherapies have little to no effect.”
Peter Luo, CEO of Adagene, remarked, “Dr. Hoos is an icon in immuno-oncology—both as the creator of the term and a driving force behind the clinical development of YERVOY (Ipilimumab), the first FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitor. We’re honored to welcome him to our outstanding team of executive advisors. His leadership comes at a pivotal moment, as we advance ADG126 through a key turning point in clinical development and continue to expand our SAFEbody pipeline powered by our innovative masking technology platform. We look forward to his invaluable guidance in clinical development of anti-CTLA-4 therapy as we work to redefine the future of precision immunotherapy.”
