Former UnitedHealth Group Cancer Director Dr. Lee Newcomer Joins Cellworks Board of Directors
Leading Precision Medicine Company Adds to Prestigious Board of Directors, which includes Dr. David Lawrence, Dr. Allen Lichter and Dr. Bill Rutter
SAN JOSE, Calif., October 17, 2018 – Cellworks Group, Inc., a leader in Precision Medicine and a global pioneer of Therapy Response Index (TRI) technology, today announced that Dr. Lee Newcomer, former cancer director for UnitedHealth Group, has been elected to the Cellworks Board of Directors. Dr. Lee Newcomer joins Dr. Allen Lichter, former Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology; Dr. Bill Rutter, co-founder of Chiron Corporation and former Chairman of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UCSF; and Dr. David Lawrence, former Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente.
Cellworks is advancing Precision Medicine and Therapy Response Index (TRI) through breakthrough modeling, biosimulation and AI techniques to identify patient-specific optimal therapies in Oncology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases. Cellworks personalized medicine predictions help transform lives through the early adoption of successful therapies, while saving time and cost across the healthcare ecosystem. Cellworks also benefits the biopharma industry through virtual clinical trials, improved target identification, lead validation and the ability to repurpose and rescue drugs.
“Even the most successful cancer therapies often don’t work for the majority of patients,” said Dr. Lee Newcomer. “Cellworks technology will get the right treatment to the right patient resulting in better outcomes and avoiding unnecessary costs for patients, hospitals and insurance providers. The Cellworks biosimulation platform is positioned to dramatically improve the way the medical profession approaches cancer treatments. I’m looking forward to working with the Cellworks team to make the vision of Personalized Medicine a reality.”
“Lee has a unique understanding of both the clinical and financial aspects of oncology within the healthcare industry,” said Yatin Mundkur, CEO of Cellworks. “His perspective and insights will prove invaluable to our team as the company enters into the next phase of growth.”
Dr. Lee N. Newcomer brings a wealth of relevant industry experience to Cellworks. From 2005 to 2018 Dr. Newcomer served as Senior Vice President, Oncology and Genetics for UnitedHealth Group, where he pioneered an initiative combining clinical, financial and program management experts to focus on cancer care. Previously, Dr. Newcomer was the Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealth Group, with responsibilities for medical policy and health services from 1991 to 2001. Prior to his work at UnitedHealth Group, Dr. Newcomer practiced medical oncology for nine years in Minneapolis and Tulsa, Oklahoma. He served as the Medical Director for Cigna Healthcare, in Kansas City and was a founding executive of Vivius, a consumer directed venture that allowed consumers to create their own personalized health plans. Dr. Newcomer is a former Chairman of Park Nicollet Health Services (HealthPartners), an integrated system of physicians and hospitals based in Minnesota with national recognition for its leadership in quality, safety and cost effectiveness.
Dr. Newcomer holds a B.A. degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University, a M.D. degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and a Masters of Health Administration from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. His clinical training included an internal medicine residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a medical oncology fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine.
About Cellworks Group, Inc.
Cellworks Group, Inc. is a world leader in Precision Medicine in the key therapeutic areas of Oncology and Immunology. Cellworks’ unique biosimulation platform is a unified representation of biological knowledge, curated from heterogeneous datasets, applied to finding cures. Backed by Sequoia Capital and Artiman Ventures, Cellworks has the world’s strongest trans-disciplinary team of molecular biologists, cellular pathway modelers, and software technologists working towards a common goal – attacking serious diseases to improve the lives of patients. The company is based in San Jose, California and has a research and development facility in Bangalore, India. For more information, visit www.cellworks.life, and follow us on Twitter @cellworkslife.
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Barbara Reichert
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Michele Macpherson, Chief Business Officer
Cellworks Group, Inc.
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