# Terrence Connolly

> Terrence (Terry) Connolly is a chemist-turned-dealmaker who runs K36 Therapeutics, a Cambridge, Massachusetts biotech chasing a single target: NSD2/MMSET, an epigenetic switch that drives hard-to-treat cancers. A Ph.D. organic chemist who started at the lab bench making molecules at Roche, Wyeth and Celgene, he crossed over into business development at Celgene, closed more than two dozen deals, then ran the business side at Skyhawk and Dragonfly. In 2021 he took the top job at K36, and now steers its lead compounds KTX-1001 (for t(4;14) multiple myeloma) and KTX-2001 (for treatment-resistant prostate cancer) through early clinical trials, backed by a $70 million Series B led by Nextech Invest with Bristol Myers Squibb participating.

- **Role:** President and Chief Executive Officer at K36 Therapeutics
- **Organizations:** K36 Therapeutics, Inc., Skyhawk Therapeutics, Dragonfly Therapeutics, Celgene Corporation, Wyeth, Roche
- **Education:** B.Sc. (Honors), Chemistry, Mount Allison University, Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, University of Ottawa
- **Known for:** Led evaluation and execution of more than two dozen licensing transactions, collaborations and private company acquisitions at Celgene, Took the CEO role at K36 Therapeutics in 2021 and built out its clinical-stage pipeline, Steered K36's $70 million Series B financing led by Nextech Invest with participation from Bristol Myers Squibb

## Career timeline

- **Early career** — Process chemist at Roche, Wyeth and Celgene, working on assets across all stages of development
- **Celgene** — Moved into Business Development and Alliance Management, managing major corporate partnerships
- **Celgene** — Rose to Executive Director of Business Development, leading 24+ licensing deals, collaborations and acquisitions
- **2019** — Chief Business Officer at Dragonfly Therapeutics and Skyhawk Therapeutics
- **Skyhawk** — Chief Operating Officer at Skyhawk Therapeutics
- **2021** — Named President and Chief Executive Officer of K36 Therapeutics and joined its Board
- **2023** — Led K36 through a $70 million Series B financing led by Nextech Invest with Bristol Myers Squibb participating
- **2025** — Advanced KTX-1001 in multiple myeloma and KTX-2001 (STRIKE-001) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer through clinical trials

## Achievements

- Led evaluation and execution of more than two dozen licensing transactions, collaborations and private company acquisitions at Celgene
- Took the CEO role at K36 Therapeutics in 2021 and built out its clinical-stage pipeline
- Steered K36's $70 million Series B financing led by Nextech Invest with participation from Bristol Myers Squibb
- Advanced KTX-1001, described as the only clinical-stage inhibitor of MMSET for t(4;14) multiple myeloma
- Expanded K36's programs into treatment-resistant prostate cancer with KTX-2001 in the STRIKE-001 Phase 1 trial

## Latest updates

- **2025-12** — Discussed a Nature study validating NSD2 as a target in treatment-resistant prostate cancer in an OncoDaily interview, framing it as support for K36's KTX-2001 STRIKE-001 trial.
- **2025-09** — K36 provided a clinical update on KTX-1001 in multiple myeloma, including expansion cohorts combining it with carfilzomib/dexamethasone and with Bristol Myers Squibb's mezigdomide.

## Links

- Website: https://k36tx.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/terrence-connolly-626a855
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/k36tx
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/k36tx/

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/terrence-connolly
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-08