Homology Medicines Appoints Gene Therapy Pioneer Beverly Davidson, Ph.D., as Chair of Scientific Advisory Board
August 05 2021 - 8:30AM
Homology Medicines, Inc. (Nasdaq: FIXX), a clinical-stage genetic
medicines company, announced today the appointment of gene therapy
expert Beverly Davidson, Ph.D., as Chair of the Company’s
Scientific Advisory Board, on which she has served since 2018. Dr.
Davidson is the Director of the Raymond G. Perelman Center for
Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, the Chief Scientific Strategy
Officer, and holds the Arthur V. Meigs Chair in Pediatrics at the
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She was also recently named
President of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy
(ASGCT). Dr. Davidson has founded several successful biotechnology
companies, including Spark Therapeutics, now a member of the Roche
Group, which developed and commercialized the first
adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector gene therapy for a genetic
disease in the U.S.“We have valued Dr. Davidson’s input and
guidance on our SAB as we have progressed our gene therapy and gene
editing platform and clinical programs, including plans to have two
PKU trials, a Hunter syndrome trial and expand our pipeline with a
named development candidate for PNH from our GTx-mAb platform this
year,” stated Albert Seymour, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of
Homology Medicines. “Since joining our SAB, Dr. Davidson’s passion
for and dedication to scientific innovation and developing new
approaches to targeting devastating diseases, including those with
CNS manifestations, has added to our collective expertise. We look
forward to her continued leadership as Chair as we advance our
AAVHSC platform.”
Prior to her current role, Dr. Davidson held the Roy J. Carver
Biomedical Research Chair and was the Vice Chair for Research in
the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa. In
addition to co-founding Spark, Dr. Davidson’s important
contributions to the biotechnology industry include co-founding
Talee Bio (now Spirovant Sciences, Inc.) and serving on multiple
scientific advisory boards. Dr. Davidson has received several
prestigious honors and recognitions throughout her career,
including election to the National Academy of Medicines, the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the College of Physicians
in Philadelphia. She was also awarded the F.E. Bennett Memorial
Lectureship Award from the American Neurological Association, the
Mathilde Solowey Award from the National Institutes of Health and
the S.J. DeArmond Lecturer from the American Association of
Neuropathologists. She has editorial responsibilities at
peer-reviewed journals, including Molecular Therapy and Human
Molecular Genetics, in addition to authoring hundreds of scientific
papers. Dr. Davidson received her B.S. in Biology from Nebraska
Wesleyan University and her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the
University of Michigan.
“It has been a pleasure working with the Homology team as the
Company translated an important scientific discovery into a genetic
medicines platform to develop potential therapies for patients who
have limited or no other treatment options,” said Dr. Davidson. “I
look forward to assuming a greater role in directing the Scientific
Advisory Board and continuing to collaborate with my colleagues as
Homology expands its platform and presence in the clinic this
year.”
About Homology Medicines, Inc.Homology
Medicines, Inc. is a clinical-stage genetic medicines company
dedicated to transforming the lives of patients suffering from rare
diseases by targeting the underlying cause of the disease. The
Company’s lead clinical program, HMI-102, is a gene therapy for
adults with phenylketonuria (PKU) and additional programs focus on
gene editing in PKU, lysosomal storage disorders including Hunter
syndrome, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and other
diseases. Homology’s proprietary platform is designed to utilize
its family of 15 human hematopoietic stem cell-derived
adeno-associated virus vectors (AAVHSCs) to precisely and
efficiently deliver genetic medicines in vivo through a gene
therapy or nuclease-free gene editing modality, as well as to
deliver one-time gene therapy to produce antibodies throughout the
body through the GTx-mAb platform. Homology has a management team
with a successful track record of discovering, developing and
commercializing therapeutics with a focus on rare diseases and
believes that its data, internal manufacturing capabilities and
broad intellectual property position the Company as a leader in
genetic medicines. For more information, visit
www.homologymedicines.com.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements
contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of
historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements,
including without limitation statements regarding our expectations
surrounding the potential, safety, efficacy, and regulatory and
clinical progress of our product candidates; the potential of our
gene therapy and gene editing platforms, including our GTx-mAb
platform; our plans and timing for the initiation of clinical
trials in PKU and Hunter syndrome and for naming a development
candidate for PNH; our beliefs regarding our manufacturing
capabilities; our position as a leader in the development of
genetic medicines; and our participation in upcoming presentations
and conferences. These statements are neither promises nor
guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other important factors that may cause our actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the
following: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and
operations, including our preclinical studies and clinical trials,
and on general economic conditions; we have and expect to continue
to incur significant losses; our need for additional funding, which
may not be available; failure to identify additional product
candidates and develop or commercialize marketable products; the
early stage of our development efforts; potential unforeseen events
during clinical trials could cause delays or other adverse
consequences; risks relating to the capabilities of our
manufacturing facility; risks relating to the regulatory approval
process; interim, topline and preliminary data may change as more
patient data become available, and are subject to audit and
verification procedures that could result in material changes in
the final data; our product candidates may cause serious adverse
side effects; inability to maintain our collaborations, or the
failure of these collaborations; our reliance on third parties;
failure to obtain U.S. or international marketing approval; ongoing
regulatory obligations; effects of significant competition;
unfavorable pricing regulations, third-party reimbursement
practices or healthcare reform initiatives; product liability
lawsuits; failure to attract, retain and motivate qualified
personnel; the possibility of system failures or security breaches;
risks relating to intellectual property and significant costs as a
result of operating as a public company. These and other important
factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and our
other filings with the SEC could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements
made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements
represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press
release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking
statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation
to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
Company ContactsTheresa McNeelyChief
Communications Officer and Patient
Advocatetmcneely@homologymedicines.com781-301-7277
Media Contact:Cara Mayfield Vice President,
Patient Advocacy and Corporate Communications
cmayfield@homologymedicines.com 781-691-3510
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