Instil Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of novel therapies. Instil seeks to in-license/acquire and develop novel therapeutic candidates in diseases with significant unmet medical need.
Our Executives
Bronson Crouch
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Crouch is an entrepreneur and investor with over 15 years of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Crouch is currently the Managing Partner of Curative Ventures, a private equity investment firm focused on biopharma opportunities. Key investments in the recent past include CoStim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an immuno-oncology-focused biotech company (acquired by Novartis in 2014), TCR2 Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TCRR), a cell therapy company, Peloton Therapeutics, Inc., an oncology biotech company focused on renal cell cancer (acquired by Merck in 2019 for $1.1 Billion cash upfront) and iTeos Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: ITOS) an immuno-oncology biotechnology company.
Mark Dudley, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Mark Dudley, PhD, is the Chief Scientific Officer of Instil Bio. Prior to Instil, Dr. Dudley led early development of T cell therapies at Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc, and before that was on the technical R&D leadership team at Novartis. Before Novartis, Dr. Dudley spent nearly two decades at the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute, where he contributed to a diverse portfolio of experimental T cell therapies, including TIL, TCR-T, and CAR-T products. Dr. Dudley is a recognized pioneer in adoptive cell therapy, having published seminal studies in TIL therapy for refractory melanoma patients, and the first studies of CD19 CAR-T in humans, IL-2 and IL-12 genetically engineered T cells in clinical trials, and TCR-T cells in clinical trials. Dr. Dudley received his PhD in Biological Sciences from Stanford University.
Sandeep “Steve” Laumas, MD
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Business Officer
Dr. Laumas has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer of Instil Bio since February, 2021 and June 2020, respectively. He began his career at Goldman Sachs & Co. in 1996 in the healthcare investment banking division before transitioning to the healthcare equity research division. He was an analyst at Balyasny Asset Management from 2001-03 and then a Managing Director of North Sound Capital from 2003-07, where he was responsible for the global healthcare investment portfolio. He founded and managed Bearing Circle Capital, an investment partnership, since 2008. Dr. Laumas has served as a member of the board of directors of Bioxcel Therapeutics Inc. since 2017 and a board member of Unicycive Therapeutics Inc. since 2018. He previously served as a board member of 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc. from 2020-21, its Executive Chairman from 2014-20, including its Chief Executive Officer from 2019-20. Dr. Laumas received his A.B. (Chemistry) from Cornell University in 1990, his M.D. from Albany Medical College in 1995, with a research year at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and completed his medical internship at the Yale University School of Medicine in 1996.
Our Board of Directors
Bronson Crouch
Chairman of the Board
Mr. Crouch is an entrepreneur and investor with over 15 years of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Crouch is currently the Managing Partner of Curative Ventures, a private equity investment firm focused on biopharma opportunities. Key investments in the recent past include CoStim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an immuno-oncology-focused biotech company (acquired by Novartis in 2014), TCR2 Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TCRR), a cell therapy company, Peloton Therapeutics, Inc., an oncology biotech company focused on renal cell cancer (acquired by Merck in 2019 for $1.1 Billion cash upfront) and iTeos Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: ITOS) an immuno-oncology biotechnology company.
Gwendolyn Binder, PhD
Board Member
Gwendolyn Binder, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board since July 2020. Dr. Binder is President of Science and Technology at Cabaletta Bio, Inc., which she joined in February 2019. Dr. Binder previously served in various roles for Adaptimmune Therapeutics PLC from March 2011 to January 2019, most recently as Chief Technology Officer from March 2016 to January 2019 and Executive Vice President, Head of Translational Sciences from March 2011 to February 2016. Dr. Binder earned her B.A. from Wells College in biochemistry and molecular biology and studied viral immunology and translational research at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where she earned her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Medicine in 2002.
Neil Gibson, PhD
Board Member
Neil Gibson, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board since June 2020 and as our lead independent director since March 2021. Dr. Gibson most recently served as Senior Vice President of COI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an accelerator company focused on the creation and development of unique drug discovery companies based on innovative and disruptive technologies, from October 2016 to December 2021. Previously, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Adanate from 2017 to November 2021 and President and Chief Executive Officer of PDI Therapeutics from 2017 to June 2020, both COI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. companies. Dr. Gibson has served on the board of TCR2, Shattuck Laboratories and Causeway Therapeutics since 2017 and Adanate since 2021 and previously served on the board of Cytosen Therapeutics from 2016 to 2019. Dr. Gibson earned his B.Sc. in Pharmacy from the University of Strathclyde and his Ph.D. from the University of Aston.
George Matcham, PhD
Board Member
George Matcham, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board since September 2018. He previously served in various roles for Celgene Corporation since 1988, most recently as Senior Vice President, CAR T CMC & Technology Development from August 2017 to June 2018 and Senior Vice President, Biologics Development and Manufacturing from May 2013 to August 2017, with responsibility for CAR T CMC & Manufacturing from September 2015. Dr. Matcham served on the board of Chimeric Therapeutics from July 2021 to August 2023. Dr. Matcham received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from Cardiff University.
R. Kent McGaughy, Jr.
Board Member
R. Kent McGaughy, Jr. has served as a member of our Board since June 2020. He has served as a Partner of CPMG, Inc. since 2005. Mr. McGaughy also served on the board of directors of Apollo Endosurgery from January 2012 to April 2023 and Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. from December 2004 to September 2023. He earned a B.A. from the University of Texas and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.