MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Forty Seven Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on developing the next generation of transformational immuno-oncology treatments to enable patient's immune systems to defeat their cancer, today announced the appointment of Kristine M. Ball to its board of directors. Ms. Ball brings more than 25 years of experience in the life sciences industry, including experience in finance, corporate development and strategic planning, and will serve as chair of the Audit Committee.

"We are pleased to welcome Kristine to our board of directors," said Mark McCamish, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Forty Seven, Inc. "Kristine is a strategic thinker, with a proven track record of building successful companies and executing creative and effective financing and corporate development strategies. Her extensive industry knowledge and background in scaling high growth companies will be invaluable as we mature into a later-stage company and continue to develop 5F9 as a first-in-class, CD47-targeting therapy for the treatment of multiple oncology indications."

Ms. Ball currently serves as Senior Vice President (SVP) of Corporate Strategy and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Menlo Therapeutics, Inc. In this role, she oversees all of Menlo's general and administrative functions, including strategic planning, finance, corporate development, commercial planning, legal, human resources and investor relations and led Menlo's initial public offering, which closed in January 2018. Prior to joining Menlo in 2017, Ms. Ball was SVP and CFO of Relypsa, Inc., where she raised over $675 million in various equity and debt financings and co-led the cross-functional teams responsible for closing partnerships with Sanofi and Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma and the company's acquisition by Galencia. In addition, Ms. Ball previously served as SVP, Finance and Administration and CFO of KAI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (acquired by Amgen) and Vice President, Finance at Exelixis, Inc. Before joining Exelixis, Ms. Ball was a senior manager in Ernst & Young's life sciences audit practice. Ms. Ball holds a B.S. from Babson College and is a CPA. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation Northern California Chapter.

"By harnessing the power of macrophages to both phagocytose abnormal cells and mobilize other components of the immune system, Forty Seven is advancing a novel approach to treating cancer, which has the potential to revolutionize the oncology treatment landscape," said Kristine Ball. "I look forward to working with the management team and Board of Directors to advance 5F9 through clinical development as a monotherapy and combination agent, and to lending my expertise to further progress and broaden these efforts."

About Forty Seven Inc.:
Forty Seven Inc. is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company that is developing therapies licensed from Stanford University targeting cancer immune evasion pathways. The lead program 5F9 is a monoclonal antibody against the CD47 receptor, a "don't eat me" signal that cancer cells commandeer to avoid being ingested by macrophages. This antibody is currently being evaluated in five clinical studies in patients with solid tumors, acute myeloid leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and colorectal carcinoma.

For more information please visit www.fortyseveninc.com or contact info@fortyseveninc.com.

SOURCE Forty Seven Inc.