Management Team

Dajun Yang, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Ascentage Pharma, has dedicated over 30 years to the research in oncology, the apoptotic pathway, as well as the R&D of innovative drugs. Since co-founding Ascentage Pharma in 2009, he made major breakthroughs in drug development and advanced multiple drug candidates with global first-/best-in-class potentials into clinical development in China, US, Australia and Europe. Under his leadership, olverembatinib, the first and only China-approved 3rd-generation BCR-ABL inhibitor, was launched and included into the NRDL, thus filling an urgent treatment gap in China.

Dr. Yang has led nearly 10 National Science & Technology Major Projects including the National High-tech R&D Program (863 Program) and “Major New Drug Development” projects. Being highly recognized for his work, Dr. Yang serves a range of positions outside his primary responsibilities, including professor and Ph.D. supervisor at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, deputy director of the Drug R&D Specialty Committee of China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association, and part-time researcher in Pharmaceutical Innovations at Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In addition, Dr. Yang has served as the 8th president (2005-2006) of the Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association (CBA), USA. He and his team, widely respected in field of novel drug development, have received a series of high profile recognitions and prominent awards, including the Team for Major Innovations designations by both Suzhou municipality and Jiangsu province; the first ever Award for Teams Pioneering Innovations in Jiangsu province; the 2022 Team of Excellence in Science and Technology of Suzhou; the Tan Jiazhen Life Science Industrialization Award; Top 10 Business Leaders in the Pharmaceutical Industry, by the 14th Health China Forum organized by the People’s Daily; and the Dushu Lake Cup Award for Most Innovative Figure of Drug R&D.

Dr. Shaomeng WANG, Ph.D., is the co-founder of Ascentage Pharma and has been appointed as its chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board since 2010. Dr. Wang joined the University of Michigan in July 2001 as a tenured faculty and is currently a Warner-Lambert/Parke Davis Professor in Medicine at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he also serves as the co-director of the experimental therapeutics program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (the Rogel Cancer Center) and director of the Michigan Center for Therapeutic Innovation. Dr. Wang was also appointed as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry since 2011, and was re-appointed to the same role in 2015.

Dr. Wang obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Peking University in July 1986. He received his Ph.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University in Chemistry in the United States in January 1993.

Dr. Simon Dazhong LU, Ph.D., MBA, has more than 18 years of experience in the investment and consulting business. He is a Managing Director of SIDC Fund Management Company Ltd., a China-based private equity fund manager. From January 2008 to July 2009, Dr. Lu served as the Managing Director and a member of the investment committee of CEL Partners, a private equity firm. From September 2002 to December 2007, he was a partner of Shanghai Newmargin Ventures, a venture capital management company. Dr. Lu has also served as a securities analyst at China International Capital Corporation Limited, and as a financial analyst at Scotiabank in Toronto, Canada. Early in his career, he worked as an auditor and audit and business consulting supervisor at Arthur Andersen in Shanghai and Chicago. Dr. Lu graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from Nankai University, his Master of Business Administration from McGill University in Canada, and Ph.D. in Economics degree from Nankai University.

Mr. Wei REN has over 15 years of legal experience covering onshore and offshore securities issues, China-related mergers & acquisitions and foreign investment. He is a Partner at Jingtian & Gongcheng and has been with the firm since 2003. Mr. Ren has been a Director of Beijing Dongcheng District State-owned Assets Administration Commission since January 2018. Mr. Ren obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics both from Peking University. He has been qualified to practice law in China.

Mr. Changqing YE has over 25 years of experience in professional accounting, financial advisory and investment. Mr. Ye obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in July 1992, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom in November 1999. Mr. Ye has been a Certified Public Accountant of the PRC since December 1994.

Known for in research in biomarkers for early detection and therapy and profiled by TIME magazine in 2001 as one of America’s best in science and medicine, Dr. Sidransky is a leading expert in oncology and precision medicine widely respected in the biopharmaceutical industry. Dr. Sidransky is currently the Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Research Division at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology; and Professor of Oncology, Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Urology, Genetics, and Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Sidransky is also serving as a member on the Scientific Advisory Boards of numerous professional organizations and institutions, including the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the U.S. Having authored over 550 peer-reviewed publications, contributed 45 cancer reviews and chapters, and invented 28 biotechnology patents, Dr. Sidransky is one of the world’s most highly cited researchers in clinical and medical journals.

Dr. Sidransky has accumulated immense industry experience and exceptional expertise, not only in scientific research, but also in business operations, corporate governance and investment strategies. Dr. Sidransky is a founder of a number of biotechnology companies such as Champions Oncology (Nasdaq; CSBR). Previously, Dr. Sidransky was Vice Chairman of ImClone Systems Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing oncology care, until its acquisition by Eli Lilly. Dr. Sidransky is also a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Israel Biotech Fund. Furthermore, Dr. Sidransky is a highly-experienced board member, after having served as a director on the boards of Galmed Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: GLMD), Orgenesis (Nasdaq: ORGS), Advaxis (Nasdaq: ADXS), and Ayala (Nasdaq: AYLA).

Dr. Shaomeng Wang joined the faculty at the University of Michigan Medical School as a tenured Associate Professor in 2001 and was promoted to Professor in 2006. Dr. Wang was named the Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor in Medicine in 2007.  Dr. Wang serves as the Co-Director of the Molecular Therapeutics Program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and is the Director of the Cancer Drug Discovery Program at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Wang is the Editor-in-Chief for Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, a premier international journal in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery by the American Chemical Society and serves on the editorial board for several international journals.

Dr. Shaomeng Wang has published 300+peer-reviewed papers and an inventor of 50+ issued US patents and hundreds of international patents. He was elected as Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2014 and as Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2019, was induced into Hall of Fame of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry of American Chemical Society in 2020.

Dr. Wang was the 2014 University of Michigan Distinguished Innovator.

In addition to his academic role, Dr Wang is a co-founder of Ascenta Therapeutics and Ascentage Pharma, which were established to develop innovative anticancer medicines with technologies licensed mainly from the University of Michigan.

Allen S. Lichter, MD, FASCO, served as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation from years 2006 to 2016. He has been an ASCO member since 1980 and served the Society in a variety of volunteer capacities including President (1998-1999) and Founding Chair of the Conquer Cancer Foundation Board of Directors (1999), before accepting the position of CEO in 2006. In his 10 years as CEO, Dr. Lichter has overseen the rapid growth of the Society and the launch of important new initiatives to improve the quality and value of cancer care.

During Dr. Lichter’s tenure as CEO, ASCO reached more than 40,000 members, including more than 13,000 international members and many allied health professionals. His many significant contributions include the launch of CancerLinQ™, ASCO’s groundbreaking health information technology platform that harnesses big data from millions of patient records to deliver high-quality, personalized care to people with cancer and cancer survivors, and the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study, the Society’s first-ever clinical trial that addresses gaps in the understanding of and access to targeted therapies; the creation of the Leadership Development Program to ensure strong leadership in oncology for future generations and FASCO designation for members with standout volunteer service; the hiring of the organization’s first Chief Medical Officer; and the establishment of several important new departments to support the diverse needs of ASCO members. Each of these accomplishments is a testament to Dr. Lichter’s commitment to improving the lives and meeting the needs of patients with cancer, their families, and their caregivers.

Prior to becoming the CEO of ASCO, Dr. Lichter held leadership roles at the University of Michigan, including Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology (1984-1998) and Dean of the Medical School (1998-2006), and at the National Cancer Institute, including Director of the Radiation Therapy Section of the Radiation Oncology Branch. His research, focusing on better defining radiation doses to spare normal, healthy tissue in patients with cancer has contributed to radiation treatment planning standards around the world. In 2002, he was elected to be a member in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science. He has received Gold Medals from the American Society for Radiation Oncology and the Radiological Society of North America in recognition of his contributions to cancer research, education and clinical care, and leadership of his peers in clinical oncology.

The award given in his name “The Allen S. Lichter Visionary Leader Award” honors Dr. Lichter’s commitment and contributions to ASCO and will continue his legacy by encouraging and recognizing extraordinary leadership in oncology.

Dr Bunn is a Distinguished Professor of Medicine and James Dudley Chair in Cancer Research, Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and founding director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center. He has over 30 years of experience in oncology research, and his studies in lung cancer have been instrumental in the treatment of the disease, specifically in identifying biomarkers of prognosis and therapy selection. Throughout his career, Dr. Bunn has been President of ASCO, IASLC, and AACI, chairman of the FDA Oncology Drug Advisory Committee, and Executive Director of the IASLC. He is the author of numerous articles, book chapters, reviews, and editorials as well as Principal Investigator on numerous national and local therapeutic trials and for the prestigious SPORE grant in lung cancer.

Arul M. Chinnaiyan, M.D., Ph.D. is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, American Cancer Society Research Professor, and S.P. Hicks Endowed Professor of Pathology and Urology at the University of Michigan. He also serves as the inaugural Director of the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology (MCTP) which is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of investigators focused on translating “-Omic” technologies to patient care in terms of biomarkers and novel therapeutics. He has co-authored over 350 manuscripts and has been designated an A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute Scholar and is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences, the Association of American Physicians (AAP) and the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). He serves on the Board of Scientific Advisors for the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan was elected as the member of National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his distinguished and continuing achievements in cancer research in 2020.

His group has characterized a number of important biomarkers of prostate cancer including AMACR, EZH2, the sarcosine metabolite, and most recently the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Schlap1. Dr. Chinnaiyan also led the development of the popular cancer profiling bioinformatics resource called Oncomine (www.oncomine.org(link is external)). Most recently, he has been involved in developing high-throughput clinical sequencing approaches for precision oncology (i.e., the MI-ONCOSEQ project). This has led to several discoveries including the pathognomomic gene fusion for solitary fibrous tumor (SFT), targetable FGFR kinase fusions across a diverse array of cancers, and mutations in ESR1 as a common resistance mechanism of endocrine therapy in breast cancer. More recently, a substantial portion of his lab is exploring RNA-seq methods to decipher the landscape of lncRNAs in cancer including in depth mechanistic and biomarker analyses of the lncRNAs Schalp1, PCAT1, PCAT29 and PCA3 among others.

Dr. Kantarjian is professor and chair of the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he is also the Samsung Distinguished Leukemia Chair in Cancer Medicine. He is also a non-resident fellow in health policy at the Rice University Baker Institute.
Dr. Kantarjian has received several prestigious honors and awards including the 37th Jeffrey A Gottlieb Memorial Award (2012), the John Mendelsohn Lifetime Scientific Achievement Award (2008), the Joseph H. Burchenal Memorial Award (2013), the Charles A. LeMaistre, M.D. Outstanding Achievement Award in Cancer (2014), and America’s Top Doctors, Castle Connolly Medical (2003-present). He was also selected as the top Castle Connolly National Physician of the Year Award for Lifetime Achievement (2014) and the ASCO David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award for lifelong contributions to leukemia research and patient care (2023).
Dr. Kantarjian’s research focuses on translational-clinical developmental therapeutics in leukemia. In the past four decades, he has made several contributions that improved prognosis and survival in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (tyrosine kinase inhibitors, e.g. imatinib, dasatinib, nilotinib, bosutinib which improved the 10-year survival from 20% to 90%), in acute lymphocytic leukemia (HPER-CVAD regimen and its derivatives which improved cure rates from 20% to 60+%), the discovery of decitabine for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome, and of clofarabine for the treatment of leukemias, among others. His research and collaborations were the basis for the FDA approvals of over 20 drugs in leukemia. He is an author of over 2,000 peer-reviewed publications.

Asher A. Chanan-Khan, M.D. is dedicated to advancing and discovering treatments for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, and multiple myeloma. He works very closely with both his clinical and research staff to support and improve the quality of life of these patients.
For over a decade, Doctor Chanan-Khan has been engaged both in the development of novel therapeutics (the branch of medicine that deals with the treatment and cure of diseases) and extensive laboratory research. His expertise is in preclinical target validation and drug evaluation directed towards early phase clinical trials.
Doctor Chanan-Khan has actively contributed to the development of immunomodulating drugs (thalidomide and its analogs) in both CLL and multiple myeloma. In CLL, he is credited for introducing lenalidomide and defining its potential as a new therapeutic. In addition, he has been actively involved in the evaluation of other promising agents through phase I and II trials. In multiple myeloma, he has been involved in the development of various therapeutics (alone and in combinations) including proteasome inhibitors (bortezomib, carfilzomib) along with novel monoclonal antibodies. These efforts remain the focus of his continued research.
Doctor Chanan-Khan has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator on numerous clinical trials for patients with these disorders and has authored more than 200 publications related to CLL and multiple myeloma.
He serves in leadership roles on several Mayo Clinic, national and international committees relating to these diseases.

Jedd Wolchok, MD, PhD, FASCO, is the Meyer Director of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Wolchok was most recently Chief of the Immuno-Oncology Service and held The Lloyd J. Old Chair in Clinical Investigation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and remains Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Wolchok is a clinician-scientist exploring innovative immunotherapeutic strategies in laboratory models, and a principal investigator in numerous pivotal clinical trials.  Dr. Wolchok helped establish immunotherapy as a standard approach to cancer treatment and was instrumental in the clinical development leading to the approval of ipilimumab and the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab for advanced melanoma.  He supervises an NIH R01-funded basic science laboratory which is focused on investigating novel immunotherapeutic agents in pre-clinical laboratory models. The focus of his translational research laboratory is to investigate innovative means to modulate the immune response to cancer as well as to better understand the mechanistic basis for sensitivity and resistance to currently available immunotherapies. Dr. Wolchok received his BA degree from Princeton University, and his MS, PhD and MD degrees from New York University. Dr. Wolchok has received numerous honors for his work including: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Memorial Award, the Giants of Cancer Care in Melanoma Award, the Berson Alumni Achievement Award in Clinical and Translational Science and the Zelmanovich Young Alumni Achievement Award from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the Alfred Taubman Prize for Excellence in Translational Medical Research (Univ of Michigan) and has been designated a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO).  Most recently, he has been awarded the the Distinguished Alumni Award at MSK, the AACR-Joseph H. Burchenal Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Cancer Research, the ESMO Award for Immuno-Oncology and the David Karnofsky Award from ASCO. Dr. Wolchok has served on the Board of Directors of ASCO and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) and currently is the Treasurer of SITC. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) and the Association of American Physicians (AAP) and is Chair of the Melanoma Committee for the ECOG-ACRIN NCI cooperative group. He is a full member of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and center director for the Parker Institute of Cancer Immunotherapy.