- Dr Hirawat is the former CMO and Head of Global Drug Development at Bristol Myers Squibb and former EVP and Head of Oncology Development at Novartis
- Augments Cytospire’s clinical development experience as Cytospire prepares CYT X300, its lead pan-gamma delta T cell engager, for clinical trials
LONDON, UK – June, 10 2026 – Cytospire Therapeutics Limited (“Cytospire”), a UK based biotech developing differentiated multispecific immune cell engager antibodies designed to enhance and direct the activity of the body’s own immune system, today announces that Samit Hirawat, M.D., has been appointed as a non-executive director to the company’s board of directors. Dr Hirawat, an internationally recognized senior biopharmaceutical executive, has more than 30 years of experience in drug development spanning tenures at large global pharmaceutical and prestigious research organizations.
Most recently, Dr Hirawat served as Chief Medical Officer, Executive Vice President, and Head of Global Drug Development at Bristol Myers Squibb, where he oversaw the worldwide clinical development portfolio and advanced multiple transformative therapies across diverse therapeutic areas. This included global approvals for 12 new molecular entities including Breyanzi (lisocabtagene), Abecma (idecabtagene), Opdualag (nivolumab + relatlimab), Augtyro (repotrectinib) and Krezati (adagrasib). Prior to that, he spent more than a decade at Novartis Pharmaceuticals in roles of increasing strategic and operational responsibility, culminating in his position as Executive Vice President and Head of Oncology Development.
Dr Hirawat earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur, India. He conducted his Internal Medicine residency and Medical Oncology fellowship in New York at North Shore University Hospital. Dr Hirawat has published more than 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and abstracts across major therapeutic areas.
“Samit is a recognised leader in the field of clinical development and having the ability to access his vast expertise as a member of the Cytospire board will be an invaluable asset as we advance our innovative pipeline of pan-gamma delta T cell engagers” said Natalie Mount, Chief Executive Officer of Cytospire.
Peter Goodfellow, Non-Executive Chair of Cytospire added “Samit is a fantastic addition to the Cytospire Board of Directors. He joins the company at a particularly exciting time as the lead development programme, CYT X300, is being advanced into clinical trials as a treatment for EGFR-positive solid tumours, such as colorectal, head and neck and non-small cell lung cancers”.
“I’m delighted to be joining Cytospire’s Board during this pivotal time in the Company’s journey” said Dr Samit Hirawat. “Cytospire’s pan-gamma delta T cell engager technology has significant differentiation over conventional CD3 T cell engager approaches and huge potential to improve outcomes for patients in multiple cancer indications. I look forward to collaborating with the Cytospire team and contributing my experience to help advance these important new therapies”.
Cytospire’s pan-gamma delta T cell engagers are uniquely engineered to target all gamma delta T cells rather than only specific subtypes. Through this approach, Cytospire seeks to overcome patient heterogeneity and generate broader, more effective antitumour immune responses through the activation of both tissue/tumour resident and blood resident effector cells. Cytospire recently announced the closing of an oversubscribed £61 million ($83 million) Series A financing supported by a strong syndicate of specialist biotech investors (see press release Cytospire Therapeutics announces Series A financing).
About Cytospire Therapeutics
Cytospire is developing an innovative portfolio of differentiated multispecific engager antibodies to enhance and direct the activity of innate and adaptive effector immune cells. Our core technology allows binding and activation of both tissue/tumour and blood resident gamma delta T cells. This opens a path to safer and more efficacious targeting of well-validated antigens that are intractable to CD3 T cell engagers due to toxicity. There are broad opportunities for Cytospire’s gamma delta T cell engagers in solid and haematological malignancies, as well as in autoimmune disease.
Based in London, UK, Cytospire Therapeutics is backed by a strong syndicate of life science investors including Abingworth, 4BIO Capital, Servier Ventures, British Business Bank, Sound Bioventures, LifeArc Ventures and Criteria Bio Ventures.
For more information, visit www.cytospire.com
Contacts
Andrew Fadden, Chief Business Officer
contact@cytospiretx.com
Frazer Hall, Mark Swallow
MEDiSTRAVA
cytospire@medistrava.com
