CUMULUS Oncology, Europe’s first oncology biotech creation company, has hired Ian Waddell as its Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). Dr Waddell, a biochemist with career-long expertise in oncology-focused drug discovery, was previously Chief Scientific Officer (Early Discovery) at Nasdaq-listed global contract research group Charles River Laboratories.
Waddell, who gained a PhD in Molecular Medicine at the University of Dundee in the late eighties, is also a former Head of Biology, Drug Discovery Unit, at Cancer Research UK’s Manchester Institute, between 2011 and 2017. Before his stint at Cancer Research UK, he spent almost seventeen years with AstraZeneca, latterly as Bioscience Director, Discovery Medicine, Oncology. At Cumulus, Waddell will help shape ongoing scientific strategy, scope new drug discovery opportunities in novel areas of oncology, and drive industry partnerships and alliances in the UK and internationally.
Clare Wareing, CEO and co-founder of Cumulus Oncology, said: “‘We are extremely fortunate to have attracted Ian to the Cumulus team. His scientific insights and track record in the oncology drug discovery and development area, coupled with his deep understanding of the relevant targets as well as his industry connections will be invaluable to our ability to scale the Cumulus business model.”
Ian Waddell, Chief Scientific Officer, Cumulus Oncology, said: “Clare and the Cumulus team have gone from strength to strength in recent times, and I can’t wait to help lead the company’s drug discovery capability. I am also greatly looking forward to working in the emerging Scottish biotech sector.”
Cumulus was founded in 2017 to identify novel oncology assets to de-risk and add value to, before creating spin-out companies to commercialise novel cancer therapies. After founding Nodus Oncology in April 2020 to conduct research into DNA damage response (DDR), Cumulus formed Modulus Oncology in September 2020 alongside the University of Sheffield.
Last month, Cumulus secured a £4.1 million ($5.6m) investment round led by St Andrews-based investment firm Eos Advisory. Scottish Enterprise invested alongside Eos as Cumulus plans further scale, while an additional £1.5 million ($2m) tranche will follow later this year.
On the occasion of the investment announcement, Cumulus also announced that Dr Russell Greig has joined the board as Chairman. Greig, a GlobalScot, spent much of his career working on both the drug development and investment sides of the business at GlaxoSmithKline.
