Joseph E. Eid, M.D., has joined Dragonfly Therapeutics as president of Research and Development.
 
Eid brings 20 years of deep immunotherapy clinical development experience including as team leader at Merck in the Pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1 antibody) first in human trial leading to registration of KEYTRUDA. He will be responsible for all aspects of clinical development and research at Dragonfly.
 
“We are delighted to welcome Joe to Dragonfly,” said Bill Haney, co-founder and CEO of Dragonfly. “Joe’s world-class immunotherapy drug development experience will be critical as we rapidly advance our three wholly-owned immunotherapy candidates in the clinic, including our Phase 2 HER2-targeting and Phase 1 EGFR-targeting TriNKETs, and our novel interleukin-12 (IL-12) cytokine investigational immunotherapy, currently in Phase 1 dose escalation. Joe’s track record in building clinical teams and creatively and effectively accelerating first in class clinical trials is impressive – and he is joining Dragonfly at a transformative time for us.”
 
“I am excited to join Dragonfly as its novel NK cell engaging and cytokine immunotherapies reach therapeutic dose levels in patients,” said Eid. “At Merck I helped pioneer Pembrolizumab clinical development, which has been game changing for cancer patients. At Dragonfly I will be passionate about bringing the company’s rich portfolio of next generation of immune-engagers to patients with cancers and other debilitating diseases who desperately need new treatments.”
 
Eid is a physician, board certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine. In his 20 year career in clinical development, Eid has contributed to a number of leading therapies from early clinical stages through approval. In addition to his years at Merck, Eid also served as senior vice president and head of Global Medical Affairs at BMS, as well as a leader in Oncology Clinical Research at Roche Pharmacuticals.
 
Eid received his medical degree from St. Joseph University School of Medicine in Beirut, Lebanon. He completed his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), and then served as Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pathology, Departments of Medicine and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and maintained a clinic for over 20 years.