Adverum Appoints Global Regulatory Leader Jim Wang, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President, Head of Regulatory Affairs
August 23 2021 - 9:00AM
Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADVM), a clinical-stage gene
therapy company targeting unmet medical needs in ocular and rare
diseases, today announced that Jim Wang, Ph.D., has been appointed
senior vice president, head of regulatory affairs. Reporting
directly to Laurent Fischer, M.D., Adverum’s president and chief
executive officer, Dr. Wang will lead regulatory strategies and
execution for the company’s product pipeline. He brings more than
17 years of global regulatory experience, including a decade in
gene therapy that includes the submission and approval for
LUXTURNA®, the first gene therapy targeting a genetic
disease that received regulatory approval in both the U.S. and
EU.
“Jim brings expansive knowledge, expertise, and insight into
global regulatory strategy gained at some of the most
well-respected companies in our industry,” said Laurent Fischer,
M.D., president and chief executive officer at Adverum
Biotechnologies. “From his early background as a bench
scientist to leading regulatory approvals globally for numerous
prescription drugs, including the U.S. and EU approvals of the
first ocular gene therapy LUXTURNA®, Jim’s leadership will be
instrumental in moving forward with the best possible path for
ADVM-022 in wet AMD and advancing our pipeline programs.”
“Laurent and the team share my passion for gene therapy research
and development and have the scientific and ocular disease
expertise to deliver potential transformative gene therapy
treatments for patients,” said Dr. Wang. “Every drug has a unique
benefit and risk profile, and I am inspired to work with this team
on the regulatory strategy and path for ADVM-022 in wet AMD as well
as for our novel pipeline gene therapy programs advancing toward
the clinic.”
Dr. Wang joins Adverum from PTC Therapeutics, where he served as
vice president, global head of regulatory strategy, leading the
planning and execution of worldwide regulatory activities across
all therapeutic areas focusing on rare disease. He also provided
oversight to a cross-functional team for the marketing application
of the gene therapy product eladocagene exuparvovec. Previously, he
worked with Spark Therapeutics, serving as vice president, head of
regulatory affairs strategy. At Spark, he led the Agency
interaction and BLA/MAA submission and approval for LUXTURNA®, a
gene therapy to treat children and adult patients with an inherited
form of vision loss. In prior positions, he was executive director,
global regulatory affairs at Shire Pharmaceutical (now Takeda);
senior director at Novo Nordisk responsible for global health
authority interaction and marketing applications for Saxenda®; and
director of CV, diabetes, and obesity at Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Earlier, at Sanofi-Aventis, Dr. Wang served as associate director
of CV, thrombosis, and CNS, and led the global regulatory efforts
for a late-stage gene therapy product targeting peripheral artery
disease. He began his career at Pfizer (formerly Wyeth
Pharmaceuticals) as a scientist working in drug safety and
metabolism.
Dr. Wang earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from Pennsylvania State
University.
Inducement GrantsOn August 23, 2021, the
company granted Dr. Wang a stock option to purchase 375,000 shares
of Adverum’s common stock pursuant to the inducement grant
exception under Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4), as an inducement that is
material to his entering into employment with Adverum. The option
has a per share exercise price equal to the closing sales price of
Adverum’s common stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market on the grant
date, and will vest over four years, subject to his continued
service with Adverum.
On August 23, 2021, the company granted Karina Nip, CPA, vice
president, controller a stock option to purchase 100,000 shares of
Adverum’s common stock pursuant to the inducement grant exception
under Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4), as an inducement that is material to
the employee entering into employment with Adverum. The option has
a per share exercise price equal to the closing sales price of
Adverum’s common stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market on the grant
date, and will vest over four years, subject to her continued
service with Adverum.
About Adverum Biotechnologies Adverum
Biotechnologies (Nasdaq: ADVM) is a clinical-stage gene therapy
company targeting unmet medical needs in serious ocular and rare
diseases. Adverum is evaluating its novel gene therapy candidate,
ADVM-022, as a one-time, intravitreal injection for the treatment
of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration. For more
information, please visit www.adverum.com.
Investor Inquiries
Amy Figueroa, CFA
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Adverum
T: 650-649-1257
Media Inquiries
Andrea Cohen
Sam Brown Inc.
T: 917-209-7163
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