11 September 2019 - - US-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc has appointed Gary Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., as its chief medical officer, the company said.

Gordon brings over 30 years of experience in oncology, drug development, R and D and clinical and regulatory affairs for both biotechnology and larger biopharmaceutical companies.

Gordon joins Ayala from AbbVie, where he served as the vice president of Oncology Development.

During his time at AbbVie, Gordon oversaw the development and advancement of nearly 200 clinical studies in approximately 50 countries.

Previously, he was a divisional vice president of global oncology development, and before that the Global Project Head for PPD R and D, both at Abbott Laboratories.

Prior to that role, Gordon was the chief scientific officer and vice president of clinical affairs at Ovation Pharmaceuticals where he spearheaded the acquisition of five drugs from Abbott.

Gordon received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency and postdoctoral training as well as served as an Associate Professor of Medical Oncology.

Ayala Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing targeted cancer therapies for people living with genetically defined cancers.

Ayala is broadly developing its product candidates, AL101 and AL102, best-in-class gamma secretase inhibitors, with clinical and preclinical studies underway in both solid tumors (AL101) and hematologic malignancies (AL102).

Ayala's lead product candidate, AL101, is currently in phase 2 for adenoid cystic carcinoma patients with tumor bearing Notch activating mutations (ACCURACY).