Arati V Rao

Background

About Arati V Rao

I am a dual fellowship trained Geriatric-Oncologist and a former Associate Professor of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine. I have served as a PI/Co-PI on several hematologic malignancy trials, have lab/translational experience, and was an NIH funded clinical researcher. I have served as a faculty on the NCCN-Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma guidelines (v1.0) and have served on several ASCO and ASH committees including the ASH- scientific committee for myeloid biology. After 18 years at Duke, I decided to transition to industry in an attempt to move the needle for oncology patients. I have served as a global program lead for the SYK inhibitor Entospletinib at Gilead now acquired by Kronos Bio. I worked with BD as part of the diligence team that acquired Kite and subsequently transitioned to development of T cell therapies. I have in depth knowledge on cell therapy/immunology programs and have experience working with and presenting to regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, TGA, Health Canada) and also the CMS. As the global lead and Medical Monitor for ZUMA-2, I successfully filed a BLA and received accelerated approval for Tecartus™ (brexucabtagene autoleucel, formerly KTE-X19), the first and only CAR T treatment for Relapsed/Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma. I subsequently transitioned as head of clinical development at PACT Pharma- a neoantigen TCR T cell platform that utilized complete non-viral gene editing to manufacture cells for patients with relapsed/refractory solid tumors. As the acting CMO, I was responsible for strategy and planning of the ongoing clinical study, next gen programs, along with any BD and investor meetings. At Seagen, as a leader in early clinical development, I work on several of their first and next generation ADCs and also on their immuno-oncology programs.