aTyr Pharma Announces Howard University President Emeritus Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick as Advisor
January 18 2024 - 8:00AM
aTyr Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: LIFE) (aTyr or “the Company”), a
clinical stage biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and
development of first-in-class medicines from its proprietary tRNA
synthetase platform, today announced the appointment of Wayne A. I.
Frederick, M.D., as an advisor to the company. Dr. Frederick is
President Emeritus of Howard University, having served as President
from 2014 to 2023.
“We are honored to welcome a distinguished
physician executive such as Dr. Frederick as an advisor to aTyr,”
said Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S., President and Chief Executive
Officer of aTyr. “Dr. Frederick’s clinical background combined with
his extensive knowledge on disparities in healthcare lends a unique
and valuable insight regarding the disease areas and high unmet
medical need for which we are developing efzofitimod, which include
major forms of interstitial lung disease (ILD), such as pulmonary
sarcoidosis.”
“I am very pleased to join aTyr as an advisor as
they work to develop a potential new treatment for conditions that
disproportionately affect underserved communities,” said Dr.
Frederick. “Notably, sarcoidosis is three times more common in
African Americans—and even more so in African American women—who
are also more likely to have severe disease and increased
mortality. It is imperative that we utilize the knowledge and
resources we have to narrow these disparities by developing safe
and effective treatments that contribute to improved outcomes for
these patients.”
Dr. Frederick is the President Emeritus of
Howard University, having previously served as the 17th President
from July 2014 through September 2023. He is also the distinguished
Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery at the Howard University
College of Medicine and a practicing cancer surgeon at Howard
University Hospital. Dr. Frederick earned a B.S., M.D., and
completed his surgical residency training at Howard University
Hospital. Following his postdoctoral research and surgical oncology
fellowships at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Dr. Frederick was Associate Director of the Cancer Center at the
University of Connecticut. Upon his return to Howard University,
his academic positions included Associate Dean in the College of
Medicine, Division Chief in the Department of Surgery, Director of
the Cancer Center and Deputy Provost for Health Sciences. He also
earned an M.B.A. degree from Howard University’s School of
Business. Dr. Frederick is the author of numerous peer-reviewed
articles, book chapters, abstracts, and editorials and is a widely
recognized expert on disparities in healthcare and medical
education. His medical research focuses on narrowing racial, ethnic
and gender disparities in cancer-care outcomes. Dr. Frederick is a
fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and belongs to
numerous surgical and medical organizations, including the ACS’
Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, the American Surgical
Association and the National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Frederick
also serves on the Board of Directors of Humana, Inc., Agostini
Limited, Insulet Corporation, Workday, Inc., Mutual of America Life
Insurance Co., and the American Cancer Society, in addition to a
few other privately held companies and charitable organizations.
About Efzofitimod
Efzofitimod is a first-in-class biologic
immunomodulator in clinical development for the treatment of
interstitial lung disease (ILD), a group of immune-mediated
disorders that can cause inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring, of
the lungs. Efzofitimod is a tRNA synthetase derived therapy that
selectively modulates activated myeloid cells through neuropilin-2
to resolve inflammation without immune suppression and potentially
prevent the progression of fibrosis. aTyr is currently
investigating efzofitimod in the global Phase 3 EFZO-FIT™ study in
patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, a major form of ILD, and in
the Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT™ study in patients with systemic sclerosis
(SSc, or scleroderma)-related ILD. These forms of ILD have limited
therapeutic options and there is a need for safer and more
effective, disease-modifying treatments that improve outcomes.
About aTyr
aTyr is a clinical stage biotechnology company
leveraging evolutionary intelligence to translate tRNA synthetase
biology into new therapies for fibrosis and inflammation. tRNA
synthetases are ancient, essential proteins that have evolved novel
domains that regulate diverse pathways extracellularly in humans.
aTyr’s discovery platform is focused on unlocking hidden
therapeutic intervention points by uncovering signaling pathways
driven by its proprietary library of domains derived from all 20
tRNA synthetases. aTyr’s lead therapeutic candidate is efzofitimod,
a first-in-class biologic immunomodulator in clinical development
for the treatment of interstitial lung disease, a group of
immune-mediated disorders that can cause inflammation and
progressive fibrosis, or scarring, of the lungs. For more
information, please visit www.atyrpharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are usually
identified by the use of words such as “believes,” “can,”
“expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “will,” and
variations of such words or similar expressions. We intend these
forward-looking statements to be covered by such safe harbor
provisions for forward-looking statements and are making this
statement for purposes of complying with those safe harbor
provisions. These forward-looking statements include, among others,
statements regarding the potential of efzofitimod to be a new
treatment for forms of ILD, including pulmonary sarcoidosis. These
forward-looking statements also reflect our current views about our
plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which
are based on the information currently available to us and on
assumptions we have made. Although we believe that our plans,
intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, as reflected in
or suggested by these forward-looking statements, are reasonable,
we can give no assurance that the plans, intentions, expectations,
strategies or prospects will be attained or achieved. All
forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions
by our management that, although we believe to be reasonable, are
inherently uncertain. Furthermore, actual results may differ
materially from those described in these forward-looking statements
and will be affected by a variety of risks and factors that are
beyond our control including, without limitation, uncertainty
regarding geopolitical and macroeconomic events, risks associated
with the discovery, development and regulation of efzofitimod, the
risk that we or our partners may cease or delay preclinical or
clinical development activities for efzofitimod for a variety of
reasons (including difficulties or delays in patient enrollment in
planned clinical trials), the possibility that existing
collaborations could be terminated early, and the risk that we may
not be able to raise the additional funding required for our
business and product development plans, as well as those risks set
forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q and in our other SEC filings. Except as
required by law, we assume no obligation to update publicly any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Contact: |
Ashlee Dunston |
Director, Investor Relations and
Public Affairs |
adunston@atyrpharma.com |
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