Exai Bio Appoints Oncology Leader and Former American Cancer Society CEO, Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD, to its Board of Directors

Palo Alto, CA — December 5, 2024– Exai Bio, a next-generation RNA- and AI-based liquid biopsy company, has appointed  Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD to its board of directors. Knudsen is the former CEO of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and its affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). She is an internationally recognized leader in oncology research and patient advocacy, and a healthcare executive dedicated to the goal of ending cancer as we know it for everyone. 

“Dr. Knudsen is a remarkable force in oncology, relentlessly dedicated to innovation and forging strategic partnerships that have profoundly improved care for cancer patients,” said Dave Daly, CEO of Exai Bio. “Among other accomplishments, her tenure as the CEO of ACS was marked by significant growth in cancer research and investment in increasing access to next generation cancer technologies. As an independent board member, her extensive scientific and health care experience will be crucial as we ramp up product development and partnering of our RNA liquid biopsy platform to deliver on the promise of early cancer detection.” 

Knudsen transformed ACS to improve the lives of cancer patients and fueled a period of remarkable growth, including the development of strategic partnerships that accelerated access to cancer breakthroughs. Prior to ACS, Knudsen served as executive vice president of oncology services and enterprise director of the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson Health, recognized for its research and impact on cancer outcomes. She also served as president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI), representing the 106 major cancer centers in North America, and on the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Advisors. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and is well known for her paradigm-shifting and translational cancer discoveries.

“I’m thrilled to join the board of Exai, where we are focused on the critical challenge of breast cancer detection for women with dense breast tissue," stated Knudsen. “Traditional screening methods often fall short for these women, who are at higher risk. The need is particularly urgent, as there is an alarming trend of younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer. To truly achieve ending cancer as we know it, we must focus on both prevention and early detection of meaningful cancers.”

About Exai Bio

Exai Bio is a next-generation liquid biopsy company. Its mission is to enable a world where cancer can be detected early, diagnosed accurately, treated in a personalized and targeted way, and ultimately cured. The company’s proprietary oncRNA- and AI-based liquid biopsy technology delivers clinical insights into cancer biology to enable the earliest, most accurate diagnosis of cancer. For more information, please visit us on www.exai.bio and follow us on X,  LinkedIn and Bluesky. 

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Contact: Kim Maxwell Brown

kimb@exai.bio

Phone: 650-262-4516

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