Cardiff Oncology Taps Leila Alland as Interim CMO Ahead of 2027 Phase 3 Trial; CRDF Falls 5.7% After Hours

Cardiff Oncology (CRDF) named Leila Alland interim chief medical officer, succeeding Roger Sidhu, as the clinical-stage biotech prepares to launch a registrational Phase 3 trial of onvansertib in first-line RAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer in the first quarter of 2027. Shares fell 5.70% in after-hours trading Tuesday. Alland previously served as CMO at PMV Pharma, Affimed and Tarveda Therapeutics, and held leadership roles at AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis and Schering-Plough. CEO Mani Mohindru said her expertise would guide clinical development as the company evaluates broader PLK1 inhibition in other cancers with few treatment options. Onvansertib is an investigational oral inhibitor of polo-like kinase 1. In the ongoing randomized Phase 2 trial, median progression-free survival has not been reached in the group receiving onvansertib 30 mg with FOLFIRI chemotherapy and bevacizumab, the proposed Phase 3 regimen. Cardiff said all patients remaining in the trial have been treated for more than 18 months. Cardiff closed Tuesday at $0.87, up 8.80%, before falling to $0.82 after hours.