AmMax Bio Names Suneel K. Gupta, Ph.D. as Chief Scientific Officer to Advance Novel ADC Portfolio

AMB-104, a potential first-in-class ADC to treat AML, expected to enter the clinic in 2027

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AmMax Bio, Inc. (“AmMax”), a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first- and best-in-class antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) for cancer patients, today announced the appointment of Suneel K. Gupta, Ph.D. as its Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Gupta brings more than three decades of R&D leadership that has overseen the delivery of more than a dozen FDA-approved medicines, and joins as AmMax prepares to advance its lead ADC, AMB-104, into the clinic in 2027.

Dr. Gupta, with expertise in hematology-oncology indications, will lead AmMax’s scientific strategy across its ADC portfolio, spanning translational science, clinical pharmacology, nonclinical development, and regulatory strategy. AMB-104, a potential first-in-class ADC, is initially focused on acute myeloid leukemia (AML), while other bispecific ADCs in the pipeline target solid tumors.

“Dr. Gupta has taken molecules from concept through approval again and again, across modalities and therapeutic areas,” said Larry Hsu, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AmMax. “His depth in clinical pharmacology and translational development fits very well with the stage of our ADC portfolio, particularly as AMB-104 prepares to move into the clinic. He has built R&D organizations that execute at pace, and we are fortunate to have him leading the scientific vision here at AmMax.”

“The team at AmMax has built a differentiated ADC portfolio using validated antibody and linker-payload components, representing an unusually strong starting point for a company at this stage,” said Dr. Gupta. “The need in AML is significant and the scientific basis behind AMB-104 is very compelling. I look forward to working with the AmMax team to translate this preclinical work into a rigorous clinical program and, ultimately, into better outcomes for patients with AML.”

Dr. Gupta joins AmMax from Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., where he served as Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President. He co-led global clinical development of MIMRYLO™ (rusfertide), a first-in-class hepcidin mimetic peptide that received FDA approval for adults with polycythemia vera in August 2026. Prior to that, Dr. Gupta served as Chief Scientific Officer at Impax Pharmaceuticals and led the development and U.S. approval of Rytary^® and Crexont^® for Parkinson’s disease. Earlier, at Johnson & Johnson and ALZA Corporation, Dr. Gupta co-chaired West Coast research and early development and invented Invega^® and Concerta^®. Across his career, he has led more than twelve novel products through registration and secured Breakthrough Therapy, Fast Track, and Orphan Drug designations in the U.S. and EU.

Dr. Gupta holds a Ph.D. in pharmacokinetics from the University of Manchester and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is an inventor on 40 issued U.S. patents and a co-author of more than 300 scientific papers. His honors include the Johnson Medal, Johnson & Johnson’s highest technical award, and the ALZA Founder’s Award. He has served on the Scientific Advisory Board of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and on an FDA advisory panel.

About AmMax Bio

AmMax Bio is a clinical-stage targeted oncology company developing antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), often built with clinically validated components, to treat serious cancers.   Its lead program, AMB-104, pairs a high-affinity targeting antibody with a highly-effective tumor-killing payload directed at acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Preclinical and clinical data across a range of tumors support the safety of both the monoclonal antibody and the clinically established linker-payload used in the ADC.

For more information, please visit www.ammaxbio.com.

Contact

For investor inquiry:
Andrew Sauter
Chief Financial Officer
andrewsauter@ammaxbio.com