Amid strong pipeline growth, Orionis Biosciences strengthens its leadership team with the appointment of Dr. Giulio Draetta

Orionis Biosciences, a privately held, clinical‑stage life sciences company focused on discovery, design and development of precision medicines for cancer and immune system-related disorders, today announced the appointment of Dr. Giulio Draetta, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Strategy Officer. Dr. Draetta joins Orionis at an exciting phase of growth as the company advances and broadens its portfolio across molecular glues, conditionally active cytokines, immune cell engager therapeutic modalities and multiple next‑generation technology platforms.

“Giulio is a renowned, world-class scientist and biopharma leader with extensive expertise in medical sciences, drug discovery, clinical translation and global partnerships,” said Niko Kley, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Orionis Biosciences. “With a unique combination of scientific acumen and translational and strategic vision, Giulio is perfectly positioned to help guide Orionis in developing a deep pipeline of technology applications in programmable biology, oncology programs and product development opportunities including drug candidates in clinical trials. We are incredibly excited to welcome Giulio to the Orionis team.”

Dr. Draetta brings decades of oncology and translational research experience spanning academic, pharmaceutical and biotech environments. Most recently, he served as Chief Scientific Officer and Director of MD Anderson’s NCI‑Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he spearheaded programs that accelerated the path from laboratory discovery to clinical solutions. Earlier in his career, he held worldwide oncology drug discovery leadership positions at Pharmacia–Pfizer and Merck, guiding multiple therapeutic programs through clinical development and commercialization. He has also co‑founded several biotechnology ventures and has advised numerous companies and research institutions on portfolio development and scientific strategy.

“I’m highly energized by the momentum across Orionis’s innovative drug discovery, design and development platforms, and by the company’s strong commitment to redefining how traditionally elusive drug targets can be tackled, cancer vulnerabilities attacked and immune system functions modulated with high levels of precision,” said Dr. Draetta. “Orionis has created an environment that thrives on innovation and efficiency, and I look forward to working with an exceptional team to help translate breakthroughs into transformative therapies for cancer and beyond.”

Orionis Biosciences is expanding a suite of precision medicine programs anchored in its three core therapeutic platforms — molecular glues and targeted protein degraders (TPD), conditional cytokines and multimodal cell engagers. Its multidisciplinary pipeline reflects the company’s integrated approach, blending disease biology, immunology, chemistry, protein engineering, computational science, machine learning and custom-designed, internal data-driven AI tools to overcome persistent challenges in oncology and other disease settings.

About Orionis Biosciences

Orionis Biosciences is a clinical-stage life sciences company pioneering the systematic discovery and rational design of therapeutic modalities that invoke molecular proximity-based mechanisms of action to confront challenging and traditionally elusive disease targets. Through its proprietary, multidisciplinary R&D platforms, Orionis develops therapies that reprogram interactions between proteins inside or on the surface of cells, including tumor and immune cells, unlocking new ways to attack cancer and other diseases.

To learn more, please visit www.orionisbio.com.

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