Faeth Therapeutics Appoints Cancer Biology Expert Karen Vousden, Ph.D., to Board of Directors
Faeth Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FTH), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies designed to improve outcomes for cancer patients through multi-node inhibition of critical oncogenic pathways, has announced the appointment of renowned cancer biologist Karen Vousden, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors. The appointment became effective September 11, 2026, adding extensive expertise in tumor biology, cancer metabolism and translational oncology to the company’s leadership.
Dr. Vousden is a highly recognized researcher whose scientific career has focused on understanding the mechanisms that regulate cancer development and progression. Her work has particularly emphasized the tumor suppressor protein p53, as well as the metabolic dependencies that can influence how tumors grow and respond to treatment.
Her appointment comes at an important stage for Faeth Therapeutics as the company prepares for topline data from its PIKTOR clinical program in endometrial cancer and continues development of the program in breast cancer. Faeth is pursuing an approach designed to target multiple nodes within important cancer signaling pathways, with the goal of addressing biological mechanisms that can contribute to tumor growth and treatment resistance.
Karen Vousden Brings Extensive Cancer Research Expertise
According to Faeth, Dr. Vousden has played a significant role in shaping the scientific foundation underlying the company’s development strategy. She has been associated with Faeth since its founding as a scientific co-founder and has served as a trusted advisor to the company.
Anand Parikh, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Faeth Therapeutics, highlighted Dr. Vousden’s longstanding involvement with the company and her expertise in tumor biology and cancer metabolism.
“Karen helped shape the scientific thesis this company was built on, and she has been a trusted advisor to Faeth since its founding,” Parikh said. He added that her experience, including her perspective from serving on the board of a major oncology company, will be valuable as Faeth approaches topline results from PIKTOR in endometrial cancer and advances the program into breast cancer.
Dr. Vousden currently serves as a Principal Group Leader at The Francis Crick Institute in London, a position she has held since 2017. Her research has contributed to a broader understanding of how cancer cells regulate growth, survival and metabolism, including the ways in which alterations in tumor suppressor pathways can affect cancer biology.
Before joining The Francis Crick Institute, Dr. Vousden held several prominent leadership roles in cancer research. She served as Chief Scientist of Cancer Research UK from 2016 through 2022, where she was involved in the organization’s scientific activities and research strategy. Prior to that, she was Director of the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research from 2002 to 2016.
Her scientific career has also included extensive participation in international research organizations and professional academies. Dr. Vousden is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Academy of Medical Sciences, EMBO, the European Academy of Sciences, the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also a Foreign Associate of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Vousden earned her Ph.D. in genetics from Queen Mary College at the University of London.
Board Experience Adds Industry Perspective
In addition to her academic and research leadership, Dr. Vousden has experience in the biopharmaceutical industry through her service on the Board of Directors of Bristol Myers Squibb Company. She has served on the Bristol Myers Squibb board since 2018 and is a member of its Science and Technology Committee and Compensation and Management Development Committee.
Her experience at the board level provides exposure to the strategic, scientific and organizational considerations involved in advancing oncology medicines within a global biopharmaceutical company. Faeth said this perspective will complement her scientific expertise as the company progresses its clinical development programs.
The combination of academic cancer research, cancer metabolism expertise and pharmaceutical board experience is particularly relevant to Faeth’s strategy of developing therapeutics aimed at multiple components of important oncogenic signaling networks.
PIKTOR Program Focuses on PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling
A central focus of Faeth’s current clinical development strategy is PIKTOR, an all-oral regimen designed to inhibit more than one node of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling network is involved in a range of cellular processes, including cell growth, proliferation, survival and metabolism. Alterations affecting components of this pathway are frequently observed across solid tumors, making the pathway an important area of investigation in cancer drug development.
Faeth is pursuing a multi-node inhibition strategy based on the premise that targeting more than one component of a critical oncogenic pathway may provide a way to address signaling activity at multiple points. The company is evaluating PIKTOR in cancer indications including endometrial cancer and breast cancer.
As Faeth prepares for topline data from the PIKTOR program in endometrial cancer, the company is also continuing to advance the program in breast cancer. The upcoming clinical data are expected to provide additional information on the potential of the regimen and help inform the company’s next development steps.
Dr. Vousden said the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is among the most frequently altered signaling pathways in solid tumors. She described PIKTOR’s approach as a strategy for inhibiting the pathway at more than one node using an all-oral treatment regimen.
“I have followed this work since the company was founded, and I am delighted to join the Board,” Dr. Vousden said.
Cancer Metabolism and Multi-Node Targeting
Cancer metabolism has become an increasingly important area of oncology research as scientists seek to understand how tumor cells adapt their metabolic processes to support continued growth and survival.
Tumors can develop dependencies on particular nutrients, metabolic pathways or signaling mechanisms, and these dependencies can differ from those observed in normal tissues. Understanding these differences can help researchers identify potential therapeutic vulnerabilities.
Dr. Vousden’s research in tumor metabolism aligns with Faeth’s broader scientific focus. Her work on p53 has also contributed to understanding how one of the most important tumor suppressor proteins influences cancer cell behavior and metabolism.
Faeth’s multi-node inhibition strategy similarly centers on targeting biological mechanisms that are important for tumor growth. By combining activity against multiple nodes of a signaling pathway, the company is investigating whether its approach can provide a broader disruption of oncogenic signaling than inhibition at a single point.
The clinical development of such approaches remains an area of active research, with investigators examining how pathway biology, tumor characteristics and treatment combinations may affect clinical outcomes.
Leadership Addition Comes Ahead of Clinical Data
Dr. Vousden’s appointment to the Faeth Board occurs as the company reaches an important point in its clinical development activities. The company is preparing to report topline data from PIKTOR in endometrial cancer while continuing to develop the program in breast cancer.
Her participation on the Board is expected to provide scientific and strategic input as Faeth evaluates emerging clinical findings and determines subsequent development priorities.
For a clinical-stage biotechnology company, the transition from scientific development to clinical data generation can involve a range of decisions related to trial design, patient populations, regulatory strategy and future development. Dr. Vousden’s background spans academic research, cancer-focused scientific leadership and biopharmaceutical governance.
Faeth said her appointment further strengthens the company’s leadership as it works to advance its oncology pipeline.
With Dr. Vousden joining the Board, Faeth gains an experienced cancer researcher who has been connected to the company since its creation and has contributed to the scientific thinking behind its therapeutic approach. Her appointment also reinforces the company’s emphasis on cancer biology and the development of therapies directed at critical signaling pathways.
As the PIKTOR program progresses, forthcoming data from endometrial cancer studies will provide an important clinical assessment of the company’s multi-node inhibition strategy. At the same time, continued development in breast cancer will expand the investigation of the approach into another major solid-tumor setting.
Faeth’s work remains centered on its goal of improving cancer treatment through therapies designed to address multiple critical components of tumor biology. The addition of Dr. Vousden to its Board brings further scientific expertise to that effort at a significant stage in the company’s clinical development.
About Faeth Therapeutics
Faeth Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FTH) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on improving outcomes for cancer patients through multi-node inhibition of critical oncogenic pathways. The Company’s lead program is PIKTOR, an investigational all-oral combination of serabelisib and sapanisertib in development for endometrial and breast cancer.
Faeth was co-founded in 2019 by Anand Parikh and Oliver Maddocks, Ph.D., together with scientific founders Lewis Cantley, Ph.D., the discoverer of the PI3K pathway; Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., D.Phil.; Karen Vousden, Ph.D.; Scott Lowe, Ph.D.; and Greg Hannon, Ph.D. The Company intends to use its website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. For more information, please visit www.faeththerapeutics.com and follow the Company on LinkedIn.