VERAXA Biotech Appoints Christoph Erkel As Chief Scientific Officer To Lead Cancer Therapy Development

VERAXA Biotech AG, a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative cancer therapies, has announced the appointment of Dr. Christoph Erkel as its new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), effective immediately. Dr. Erkel, who previously served as Vice President of Research and Development at VERAXA, will now lead the Company's scientific strategy and oversee the continued advancement of its proprietary BiTAC® (bi-targeted tumor-associated cytotoxicity) platform. He succeeds Dr. Rick Austin, who will leave the Company following a planned transition period.

In his new role, Dr. Erkel will be responsible for directing and accelerating the development of VERAXA's BiTAC technology, which is designed to create safer and more effective therapies for patients with solid tumors. The Company aims to further expand its oncology pipeline while advancing its research programs toward clinical development.

Dr. Erkel brings approximately 20 years of experience in antibody therapeutics and biotechnology research, with expertise spanning antibody engineering, preclinical drug development, and the advancement of therapeutic candidates through Investigational New Drug (IND) submission. Throughout his career, he has worked across both early-stage drug discovery and clinical readiness, leading multidisciplinary research teams and contributing to the development of innovative cancer therapies.

Before joining VERAXA, Dr. Erkel served as Research Program Leader at MorphoSys AG, which was later acquired by Novartis. In that position, he led cross-functional research programs in immuno-oncology, including the development of conditionally active T-cell engager therapies targeting both solid and hematologic cancers. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions in Discovery Biology and Antibody Engineering and also served in scientific and leadership roles at Sloning BioTechnology GmbH, where he contributed to antibody discovery and biotechnology research programs.

Dr. Erkel earned his Ph.D. in Biology from Philipps University in Marburg, Germany, and completed postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, where he further developed his expertise in biological sciences and therapeutic research.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Erkel said he is pleased to assume the role of Chief Scientific Officer at an important stage in VERAXA's development. He noted that the Company's mission of transforming the potential of its BiTAC platform into new cancer treatments represents an exciting opportunity and added that he looks forward to working closely with the research team to expand the product pipeline, accelerate programs toward clinical trials, and advance the next generation of oncology therapies.

Oliver R. Baumann, Chairman of the VERAXA Board, thanked Dr. Rick Austin for his contributions during a significant period of growth for the Company, noting that his leadership played an important role in shaping VERAXA's research pipeline and target selection strategy. He also welcomed Dr. Erkel as the Company's new Chief Scientific Officer, stating that his extensive scientific expertise and proven ability to manage complex multidisciplinary research programs will be instrumental in advancing the BiTAC technology platform and supporting the continued expansion of VERAXA's oncology portfolio.