Lantern Pharma (NASDAQ: LTRN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with genomic data for oncology drug discovery, has announced a significant addition to its leadership team. Dr. Lee T. Schalop, a renowned figure in biotechnology with over two decades of experience, has been appointed to the company's Board of Directors. This strategic move underscores Lantern Pharma's commitment to advancing its AI-powered drug development platform and expanding its pipeline of targeted cancer therapies.
Dr. Schalop's expertise is particularly noteworthy in the realm of neurooncology and strategic transactions, having co-founded and led Oncoceutics Inc., a company that made headlines with its acquisition by Chimerix Inc. (NASDAQ: CMRX) for $450 million in 2021, and later by Jazz Pharmaceuticals for $935 million in April 2025. His background in developing targeted therapies for solid tumors, including HK327M-mutant gliomas, aligns perfectly with Lantern Pharma's mission to revolutionize the cost, pace, and timeline of oncology drug discovery and development.
The appointment of Dr. Schalop is a testament to Lantern Pharma's innovative approach to drug development, leveraging its proprietary AI and machine learning platform, RADR(R). This platform utilizes over 200 billion oncology-focused data points and a library of more than 200 advanced machine learning algorithms to address real-world challenges in oncology drug development. With Dr. Schalop's guidance, Lantern Pharma aims to accelerate its precision oncology programs, particularly those targeting central nervous system (CNS) cancers through its subsidiary, Starlight Therapeutics.
This development is crucial for the oncology field and patients worldwide, as it represents a significant step forward in the quest for more effective and personalized cancer treatments. By harnessing the power of AI and the expertise of leaders like Dr. Schalop, Lantern Pharma is poised to make substantial contributions to the fight against cancer, offering hope to patients with limited treatment options. The company's ability to advance drug programs from initial AI insights to first-in-human clinical trials in just 2-3 years, at a fraction of the traditional cost, highlights the transformative potential of its approach.
