Cue Biopharma Appoints Usman “Oz” Azam, M.D. As President And CEO Effective September 29, 2025; Daniel Passeri Transitions To Strategic Advisor Role

Cue Biopharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel class of therapeutic biologics designed to selectively engage and modulate disease-specific T cells for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer, has announced the appointment of Usman “Oz” Azam, M.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 29, 2025. On the same date, Daniel Passeri, who has been serving as the company’s CEO, will transition to the role of Strategic Advisor.

Dr. Azam brings more than 25 years of leadership in drug discovery, development, and commercialization, along with extensive operating expertise in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. He most recently served as CEO of Inspirna, Inc., a privately held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on novel cancer therapies. Before that, he was CEO of Empyrean Neuroscience, where he advanced a pipeline of genetically engineered neuroactive compounds for central nervous system disorders.

Daniel Passeri, chief executive officer of Cue Biopharma, stated, “This strategic transition in leadership is a timely and important step forward, enhancing the Company’s next stage of corporate development with a prioritized focus on autoimmune disease. Dr. Azam‘s significant experience across the entire drug development value-chain, including clinical trial design and execution, as well as product launches is invaluable for advancing the Company’s first-in-class tolerogenic drug candidate CUE-401 for autoimmune diseases, our partnered program CUE-501 and for securing strategic partners for our clinical-stage CUE-100 series assets.”

Dr. Azam mentioned, “I am very pleased to be taking on the role of CEO and working closely with the Cue Biopharma team at this important stage of the Company’s development. What has me most excited about joining the Company is CUE-401, a molecule designed to restore immune homeostasis and tolerance, with the potential to disrupt the standard of care in autoimmune disease. I look forward to effectively driving CUE-401 through clinical development, creating value by addressing significant unmet medical needs.”

Pasha Sarraf, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the board of Cue Biopharma, also added, “Cue’s board is pleased to welcome Oz as our new President and CEO. As the Company focuses on autoimmunity, we believe CUE-401’s tolerogenic mechanism has the potential to become the ‘Keytruda' for autoimmune disease, enabling deep and durable remissions to free patients from lifelong therapies and chronic disease. The Board is energized to partner with Oz to bring this vision to life. Additionally, we extend our deep gratitude and sincere appreciation to Dan for his leadership and forward-looking vision navigating the company through the many challenges that have faced the biotech industry over the years. He has provided us with the foundation for continued success and growth.”

Earlier in his career, Dr. Azam was President and CEO of Tmunity Therapeutics, a company developing genetically engineered CAR-T cell therapies for solid tumors. He also served as Global Head of the Cell and Gene Therapies unit at Novartis, where he played a pivotal role in delivering the first FDA-approved CAR-T cell therapy for hematologic cancers, a milestone achievement in the field of oncology.

In addition to these leadership roles, Dr. Azam has held senior positions at several major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Aspreva Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, and GlaxoSmithKline. His deep expertise in T cell therapeutics, combined with his broad experience across biotechnology and large pharma, positions him strongly to guide Cue Biopharma into its next stage of growth and innovation.