Candel Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:CADL) has appointed biotechnology industry veteran Maha Radhakrishnan, M.D., to its board of directors.
Dr Radhakrishnan brings more than two decades of experience in drug development and commercialization across multiple therapeutic areas.
Her appointment comes as Candel gears up for a planned Biologics License Application (BLA) for its immunotherapy candidate CAN-2409 in intermediate-to-high-risk prostate cancer, expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
“We are delighted to welcome Maha as a new member of Candel’s Board,” said Paul Peter Tak, CEO of the company. “Her extensive industry experience will be extremely valuable as Candel advances its late-stage oncology programs toward potential approval and commercial development.”
Radhakrishnan currently serves as an executive partner at Sofinnova Investments, a life sciences-focused venture capital firm, where she leads diligence on clinical-stage assets and advises portfolio companies. She was previously chief medical officer at Biogen and has held leadership roles at Sanofi, Bioverativ, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Cephalon.
“I am honored to join the Board at this pivotal moment as Candel advances its innovative immunotherapy candidates across multiple cancer indications,” said Radhakrishnan. “Candel's multimodal approach has the potential to address significant unmet needs in cancers that have historically been difficult to treat with conventional immunotherapies.”
Paul Manning, chairman of Candel’s Board, added Radhakrishnan’s expertise would be “invaluable” as the company moves toward the next stage in its regulatory and commercial journey.
Shares of Candel moved higher on the update, adding 7.4% to trade hands at about $6.