Mirati Therapeutics Leadership

Dr. Baum was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Mirati Therapeutics in November 2012. Since then, he has been responsible for moving the company to the United States, listing the company on NASDAQ and establishing its headquarters in San Diego, California. In addition, he has built a world class precision oncology leadership team and transformed Mirati into an company focused on the innovative, targeted development of Mirati’s receptor tyrosine kinase and histone deacetylase inhibitors in various cancers. Prior to joining Mirati he was Senior Vice President for Biotherapeutic Clinical Research within Pfizer’s Worldwide Research & Development division. Dr. Baum was at Pfizer from 2003 until joining Mirati in 2012, serving in roles of increasing responsibility including as Vice President and Head of Oncology Development and as Chief Medical Officer for Pfizer’s Biotherapeutics and Bioinnovation Center. He was responsible for the development of the oncology portfolio, including Axitinib (Inlyta®), Crizotinib (Xalkori®) and the approval of sunitinib (Sutent®) for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and renal cell carcinoma. Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Baum was responsible for the Phase I-IV development of several oncology compounds at Schering-Plough, including temozolomide (Temodar®) which was approved for the treatment of patients with advanced brain tumors. His career has included academic and hospital positions at Stanford and Emory universities, as well as positions of increasing responsibility within the pharmaceutical industry (Systemix, Searle, Schering-Plough and Pfizer). Dr. Baum currently serves on the board of directors of Array BioPharma. Dr. Baum received his M.D. and Ph.D. (Immunology) degrees from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and completed his post-graduate training at Stanford University, California. Dr. Baum has received research support from the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society, published more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and holds a number of patents and patent applications.

Ben joined Mirati in 2020 as Chief Commercial Officer with almost 20 years of industry experience. Ben is responsible for building and leading commercial and medical affairs functions and capabilities as Mirati prepares for commercial readiness. Ben has a long track record of leading commercial teams, including global product launches for innovative oncology treatments. Prior to Mirati, Ben was Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer at Halozyme Therapeutics, where he was responsible for the global commercial strategy for the company’s oncology portfolio.

Prior to Halozyme, Ben spent 17 years at Bristol Myers Squibb in various roles, including General Manager, UK & Ireland, where he oversaw an organization of more than 300 people, and Vice President Marketing, Immuno-Oncology, where he led the commercialization of Yervoy* and oversaw the launch preparedness of Opdivo* across more than eight indications.

Ben received both his MBA and B.S. in Management from St. John’s University in Queens, New York.

Prior to Halozyme Ben served as the General Manager, UK & Ireland at Bristol-Myers Squibb overseeing an organization of more than 300 people across the virology, immuno-science, oncology and cardiovascular disease businesses. Throughout his 17-year career with Bristol-Myers Squibb, he held roles of increasing responsibility, including serving as Vice President Marketing, Immuno-Oncology where he led the commercialization of Yervoy® and oversaw the launch preparedness of Opdivo® across more than eight indications and Executive Director and Vice President, Hematology, responsible for all commercial activity for Sprycel®, Erbitux® and an investigational multiple myeloma asset. In addition, he served as the U.S. brand lead for Farxiga® which is used to help treat type 2 diabetes and held positions in U.S. Finance and U.S. and worldwide access and reimbursement.

Ben received his B.S. in Management and an MBA from St. Johns University in Queens, New York.

Dr. Christensen joined Mirati in June 2013 as Vice President of Research. He was most recently the Senior Director of Oncology Precision Medicine in the Oncology Research Unit at Pfizer, a group focused on developing strategies toward patient identification, novel combination approaches, and development of biomarker approaches. Dr. Christensen joined Pfizer in 2003 and his responsibilities there included leading nonclinical research efforts for oncology programs including sunitinib malate research activities and leading the nonclinical and translational biology efforts for other research and development programs including crizotinib. Dr. Christensen participated as a member of the Pfizer Cancer Research or Oncology Research Unit leadership team from 2005-2013. Prior to 2003, Dr Christensen was at SUGEN/Pharmacia as a Group Leader on the Preclinical Research and Exploratory Development team where he was responsible for leadership of c-Met and erbB family preclinical development programs and aspects of research and development for sunitinib. Dr. Christensen initiated his industry experience at Warner Lambert/Parke-Davis with research focus in receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) biology and RTK pathway biomarker development in the oncology therapeutic area. Dr. Christensen has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed research articles in scientific journals including Science, Nature, Cancer Cell, New England Journal of Medicine and others. In addition, Dr. Christensen participates on the editorial boards for Cancer Research and Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Dr. Christensen received his Ph.D. degree focusing in Molecular Pharmacology from North Carolina State University with dissertation research directed toward characterization of mechanisms of apoptosis dysregulation during the process of carcinogenesis.

Dr. Baum was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Mirati Therapeutics in November 2012. Since then, he has been responsible for moving the company to the United States, listing the company on NASDAQ and establishing its headquarters in San Diego, California. In addition, he has built a world class precision oncology leadership team and transformed Mirati into an company focused on the innovative, targeted development of Mirati’s receptor tyrosine kinase and histone deacetylase inhibitors in various cancers. Prior to joining Mirati he was Senior Vice President for Biotherapeutic Clinical Research within Pfizer’s Worldwide Research & Development division. Dr. Baum was at Pfizer from 2003 until joining Mirati in 2012, serving in roles of increasing responsibility including as Vice President and Head of Oncology Development and as Chief Medical Officer for Pfizer’s Biotherapeutics and Bioinnovation Center. He was responsible for the development of the oncology portfolio, including Axitinib (Inlyta®), Crizotinib (Xalkori®) and the approval of sunitinib (Sutent®) for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and renal cell carcinoma. Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Baum was responsible for the Phase I-IV development of several oncology compounds at Schering-Plough, including temozolomide (Temodar®) which was approved for the treatment of patients with advanced brain tumors. His career has included academic and hospital positions at Stanford and Emory universities, as well as positions of increasing responsibility within the pharmaceutical industry (Systemix, Searle, Schering-Plough and Pfizer). Dr. Baum currently serves on the board of directors of Array BioPharma. Dr. Baum received his M.D. and Ph.D. (Immunology) degrees from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and completed his post-graduate training at Stanford University, California. Dr. Baum has received research support from the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society, published more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and holds a number of patents and patent applications.

Dr. Baum was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Mirati Therapeutics in November 2012. Since then, he has been responsible for moving the company to the United States, listing the company on NASDAQ and establishing its headquarters in San Diego, California. In addition, he has built a world class precision oncology leadership team and transformed Mirati into an company focused on the innovative, targeted development of Mirati’s receptor tyrosine kinase and histone deacetylase inhibitors in various cancers. Prior to joining Mirati he was Senior Vice President for Biotherapeutic Clinical Research within Pfizer’s Worldwide Research & Development division. Dr. Baum was at Pfizer from 2003 until joining Mirati in 2012, serving in roles of increasing responsibility including as Vice President and Head of Oncology Development and as Chief Medical Officer for Pfizer’s Biotherapeutics and Bioinnovation Center. He was responsible for the development of the oncology portfolio, including Axitinib (Inlyta®), Crizotinib (Xalkori®) and the approval of sunitinib (Sutent®) for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and renal cell carcinoma. Prior to joining Pfizer, Dr. Baum was responsible for the Phase I-IV development of several oncology compounds at Schering-Plough, including temozolomide (Temodar®) which was approved for the treatment of patients with advanced brain tumors. His career has included academic and hospital positions at Stanford and Emory universities, as well as positions of increasing responsibility within the pharmaceutical industry (Systemix, Searle, Schering-Plough and Pfizer). Dr. Baum currently serves on the board of directors of Array BioPharma. Dr. Baum received his M.D. and Ph.D. (Immunology) degrees from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and completed his post-graduate training at Stanford University, California. Dr. Baum has received research support from the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society, published more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and holds a number of patents and patent applications.

Dr. Christensen joined Mirati in June 2013 as Vice President of Research. He was most recently the Senior Director of Oncology Precision Medicine in the Oncology Research Unit at Pfizer, a group focused on developing strategies toward patient identification, novel combination approaches, and development of biomarker approaches. Dr. Christensen joined Pfizer in 2003 and his responsibilities there included leading nonclinical research efforts for oncology programs including sunitinib malate research activities and leading the nonclinical and translational biology efforts for other research and development programs including crizotinib. Dr. Christensen participated as a member of the Pfizer Cancer Research or Oncology Research Unit leadership team from 2005-2013. Prior to 2003, Dr Christensen was at SUGEN/Pharmacia as a Group Leader on the Preclinical Research and Exploratory Development team where he was responsible for leadership of c-Met and erbB family preclinical development programs and aspects of research and development for sunitinib. Dr. Christensen initiated his industry experience at Warner Lambert/Parke-Davis with research focus in receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) biology and RTK pathway biomarker development in the oncology therapeutic area. Dr. Christensen has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed research articles in scientific journals including Science, Nature, Cancer Cell, New England Journal of Medicine and others. In addition, Dr. Christensen participates on the editorial boards for Cancer Research and Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Dr. Christensen received his Ph.D. degree focusing in Molecular Pharmacology from North Carolina State University with dissertation research directed toward characterization of mechanisms of apoptosis dysregulation during the process of carcinogenesis.