Sonnet BioTherapeutics (SONN) has candidates in immunomodulatory therapies, their first-wave pipeline comprises five cytokine-derived candidates, with lead compound, SON-080, ready to enter Phase 2 development, closely followed by four others undergoing preclinical studies.
Sonnet’s proprietary FHAB™ (Fully Human Albumin Binding) technology enables the development of innovative targeted biologic drugs with enhanced single or bi-specific mechanisms. The FHAB™ platform utilizes a fully human single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) that binds to and “hitch-hikes” on human serum albumin (HSA) for transport to target tissues. The internal focus is immune-oncology; however, their technology is suited for drug development across the spectrum of human disease.
Sonnet BioTherapeutic’s Management
Dr. Pankaj Mohan – Founder, CEO & Chairman
Dr. Pankaj Mohan founded Sonnet in 2015 and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Outlook Therapeutics, Inc. which he also founded (formerly known as Oncobiologics). From January 2011 to June 2018, he served as Oncobiologics’ President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman. Previously, Dr. Mohan served as head of Business Operations and Portfolio Management of Biologics Process and Product Development at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and as a Director of Bioprocess Engineering at Genentech, Inc. Prior to that Dr. Mohan served as a senior manager at Eli Lilly and Company. From May 1993 to April 1996, Dr. Mohan served as Assistant Professor (Lecturer/Fellow) at the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Dr. Mohan received a Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemical Engineering from the School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom, a master’s in financial management from Middlesex University Business School, London, United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee, India. Dr. Mohan also attended an Executive Management Program (AMP) from Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Jay Cross – Chief Financial Officer
Jay Cross joined Sonnet BioTherapeutics in May 2019 and serves as the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Sonnet, Mr. Cross was a Managing Director with Chardan Capital’s healthcare investment banking team, where he focused on biopharmaceuticals. From 2002 to 2014, Mr. Cross worked as an analyst and portfolio manager specializing in therapeutics for several global institutional investment firms. He launched his career in finance in 1999 as an associate analyst covering biotechnology on the healthcare equity research team at Hambrecht & Quist.
Mr. Cross earned a Master of Public Health from the Yale University School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Washington & Lee University.
John K. Cini, Ph.D.
Dr. John Cini is Chief Scientific Officer and a Co-Founder of Sonnet BioTherapeutics, where he oversees and directs the company’s discovery and development programs. His role includes the oversight of the selection process of cancer and immune-oncology targets and proof-of-concept testing.
Prior to joining Sonnet, he was Vice President of Discovery and Development Sciences at Oncobiologics. He has successfully advanced more than 20 novel monoclonal antibody products from discovery to IND. He is the holder of several novel product and formulation patents and applications. He has been directly involved in several successful novel biologics through early discovery research into development and manufacturing through clinical trials and commercialization.
Previous positions include Executive Director at Mederex (acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2010), lead discovery scientific roles at Johnson & Johnson (Ethicon, OrthoBioTech & Pharmaceutical Research), and Bayer. Dr. Cini’s therapeutic areas of expertise in system biology include-oncology, immune-oncology, inflammation, osteoporosis, wound healing, surgical adhesion, and cellular aging.
Relief Therapeutics Sells Subsidiary to Sonnet
Geneva-based Relief Therapeutics Holding AG agreed to sell its Relief Therapeutics SA unit to SONNET BioTherapeutics Inc.
Under the deal, Sonnet will issue 7,111,947 common shares to Relief and assume the development of SON-080, or atexakin alfa, a potential treatment of peripheral neuropathy — conditions involving damage to the peripheral nervous system.
Available pre-clinical data for SON-080, licensed by Relief Therapeutics SA from MERCK KGaA’s Ares Trading SA subsidiary, showed that the investigational drug has the potential to treat neuropathies. Sonnet will develop atexakin in chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy and other indications, including diabetic neuropathy or nerve damage due to diabetes.
Completion of the transaction is expected to occur at the same time as Sonnet’s public trading debut, subject to customary closing conditions.
