Biotech veteran Henney gets key role in startup

Christopher Henney -- who co-founded three of Seattle's biggest biotech companies, Immunex, Icos Corp. and Dendreon -- is now tossing his weight behind a new startup company called CG Therapeutics.

Henney was named chairman of the board, with the role of helping the startup with venture funding and corporate partnerships, the company announced Thursday.

Given Henney's record of creating valuable biotech companies -- Immunex was sold to Amgen for $11 billion in 2002 and Icos was sold to Eli Lilly for $2.1 billion this year -- the new company should have little trouble raising money.

"I'm looking forward to helping them complete their Phase 2 testing and working with them to refine their business and strategic plans," Henney said in a news release.

The company, led by Jonathan Green, former Targeted Growth and ImmunoTherapy Corp. executive, is developing drugs to treat non-small-cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer.