Early stage Chinese bispecific biotech EpimAb Biotherapeutics has roped in Bin Peng, M.D., Ph.D, as its first chief medical officer (CMO).

Peng joins the startup, which is prepping to move its first bispecific into the clinic this year, from a major stint at Novartis, where he was the global head of oncology translational medicine at Shanghai CNIBR (China Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research).

At Novartis, Peng was focusing on bringing its cancer drug Gleevec (imatinib) through its R&D steps and onto the market. Peng has also served a stint at GSK.

EpimAb was founded back in 2015 with a platform tech designed to make bispecific molecules with antibody-like properties called FIT-Ig (Fabs-In-Tandem Immunoglobulin), which in turn are designed to be more potent, less immunogenic and easier to manufacture.