ImmunityBio has appointed Jim Yong Kim, MD, PhD, former President of the World Bank Group and a global health leader, as Vice Chairman.
Kim will join ImmunityBio’s newly created Office of the Executive Chairman, where he will focus on strengthening the company’s international relationships and supporting global partnerships and access initiatives.
According to ImmunityBio, the new office will bring together senior leaders to support strategy, partnerships and initiatives aimed at advancing the company’s scientific and clinical programs globally. In his new role, Kim will focus on relationships with governments, health ministries, multilateral institutions and global health partners, including efforts related to access to ImmunityBio’s immunotherapy platform, clinical programs and approved therapies in markets outside the United States where authorized.
Soon-Shiong highlighted Kim’s experience in addressing global barriers to healthcare, stating:
“Dr. Kim has spent his life working to bring care to people.”
He said Kim’s background across global health, development finance, governments and multilateral institutions would support ImmunityBio’s efforts to develop partnerships, advance clinical development and broaden access to its therapies.
Kim said his career has centered on helping “scientific and medical advances reach the people who need them most.” He added that he looks forward to working with ImmunityBio on partnerships involving governments, health systems and international institutions to support research and access.
Jim Yong Kim’s Career in Global Health
Kim served as the 12th President of the World Bank Group from 2012 to 2019. During his presidency, the institution established goals of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity among the poorest 40% of people in developing countries. His tenure also included the launch of initiatives such as the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility.
A physician and anthropologist, Kim co-founded Partners In Health in 1987 and helped develop treatment programs addressing drug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in resource-limited communities. From 2003 to 2005, he served as Director of the World Health Organization’s HIV/AIDS Department, where he led the “3 by 5” initiative aimed at expanding access to antiretroviral treatment in developing countries.
Kim later served as President of Dartmouth College and held academic positions at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He currently serves as Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor at Global Infrastructure Partners, part of BlackRock, and as Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda.
About ImmunityBio
ImmunityBio is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing next-generation immunotherapies designed to activate both the innate and adaptive immune systems against cancer and infectious diseases. Its approach includes its Cancer BioShield platform, anchored by the IL-15 receptor agonist ANKTIVA (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept), alongside vaccine and cell-therapy platforms.
Read more articles featuring ImmunityBio on OncoDaily.