Akero Therapeutics Appoints Patrick Lamy as Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategy
January 10 2023 - 8:00AM
Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKRO), a clinical-stage company
developing transformational treatments for patients with serious
metabolic disease marked by high unmet medical need, today
announced the appointment of Patrick Lamy as Senior Vice President,
Commercial Strategy.
“Akero is thrilled to welcome Patrick to the team, especially
following last year’s HARMONY study results, which further
demonstrate EFX’s potential to treat NASH holistically and reverse
fibrosis rapidly,” said Andrew Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., president and
chief executive officer of Akero. “Patrick’s extensive experience
in liver disease, and commercial strategy and execution, will be
invaluable as we continue to progress EFX through clinical
development and work to transform the lives of people living with
NASH.”
Patrick brings over 25 years of experience in building
commercial teams, leading global product launches, and developing
strategic plans to ensure the success of both large and small
pharmaceutical companies. Most recently he served as VP, Commercial
at Iovance Biotherapeutics, where he was responsible for all
pre-launch commercial activities for the first cell therapy for
melanoma and cervical cancer. Prior to Iovance, Patrick held
commercial roles of increasing responsibility at Gilead Sciences,
notably playing a key role in launching Gilead’s SOVALDI® and
HARVONI® for HCV, as well as leading commercial planning for the
company’s liver disease portfolio. Patrick received his M.B.A. from
the University of California, Water A. Haas School of Business.
“EFX has exhibited the potential to improve the lives of a great
number of patients living with NASH,” said Patrick. “Andrew and the
Akero leadership team have a proven track record of operational
excellence, smart clinical development, and exemplary leadership,
and I’m excited for the opportunity to work with them developing
commercial strategy and execution plans at such a pivotal time for
the company and the NASH community.”
About NASHNASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)
is a serious form of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) that
is estimated to affect 17 million Americans. NASH is characterized
by an excessive accumulation of fat in the liver that causes stress
and injury to liver cells, leading to inflammation and fibrosis,
which can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, cancer and
eventually death. There are no approved treatments for the
condition and NASH is the fastest growing cause of liver
transplants and liver cancer in the US and Europe.
About EfruxiferminEfruxifermin (EFX), formerly
known as AKR-001, is Akero’s lead product candidate for NASH,
currently being evaluated in the ongoing Phase 2b HARMONY study.
EFX is designed to reduce liver fat and inflammation, reverse
fibrosis, increase insulin sensitivity and improve lipoproteins.
This holistic approach offers the potential to address the complex,
multi-system disease state of NASH, including improvements in
lipoprotein risk factors linked to cardiovascular disease – the
leading cause of death in NASH patients. Engineered to mimic
the biological activity profile of native FGF21, EFX is designed to
offer convenient once-weekly dosing and has been generally
well-tolerated in clinical trials to date.
About Akero TherapeuticsAkero Therapeutics
is a clinical-stage company developing transformational treatments
for patients with serious metabolic diseases marked by high unmet
medical need, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a
disease without any approved therapies. Akero's lead product
candidate, efruxifermin (EFX), is a differentiated Fc-FGF21 fusion
protein that has been engineered to mimic the balanced biological
activity profile of native FGF21, an endogenous hormone that
alleviates cellular stress and regulates metabolism throughout the
body. EFX is designed to offer convenient once-weekly subcutaneous
dosing. The consistency and magnitude of observed effects position
EFX to be a potentially best-in-class medicine, if approved, for
treatment of NASH. EFX is currently being evaluated in two Phase 2b
clinical trials: the HARMONY study in patients with pre-cirrhotic
NASH (F2-F3 fibrosis), and the SYMMETRY study in patients with
cirrhotic NASH (F4 fibrosis, compensated). EFX is also being
evaluated in an expansion cohort of the SYMMETRY study, comparing
the safety and tolerability of EFX to placebo when added to an
existing GLP-1 receptor agonist in patients with pre-cirrhotic NASH
(F1-F3 fibrosis) and Type 2 diabetes. Akero is headquartered in
South San Francisco. Visit us at akerotx.com and follow us on
LinkedIn and Twitter for more information.
Forward Looking StatementsStatements contained
in this press release regarding matters that are not historical
facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results
may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to,
statements regarding Akero’s business plans and objectives,
including future plans or expectations for efruxifermin (EFX), the
therapeutic effects of EFX; Akero’s preparations for
commercialization of EFX, if approved; and Akero’s growth as a
company and the anticipated contribution of Mr. Lamy to its
operations and progress. Any forward-looking statements in this
press release are based on management's current expectations of
future events and are subject to a number of risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Risks that contribute to the uncertain
nature of the forward-looking statements include: risks related to
the impact of COVID-19 on Akero’s ongoing and future operations,
including potential negative impacts on Akero’s employees,
third-parties, manufacturers, supply chain and production as well
as on global economies and financial markets; the success, cost,
and timing of Akero’s product candidate development activities and
planned clinical trials; Akero’s ability to execute on its
strategy; positive results from a clinical study may not
necessarily be predictive of the results of future or ongoing
clinical studies; regulatory developments in the United States and
foreign countries; Akero’s ability to fund operations; as well as
those risks and uncertainties set forth more fully under the
caption "Risk Factors" in Akero’s most recent Annual Report on Form
10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as discussions of
potential risks, uncertainties and other important factors in
Akero’s other filings and reports with the SEC. All forward-looking
statements contained in this press release speak only as of the
date on which they were made. Akero undertakes no obligation to
update such statements to reflect events that occur or
circumstances that exist after the date on which they were
made.
Investor Contact:Christina
Tartaglia212.362.1200IR@akerotx.com
Media Contact:Sarah
O’Connell732.456.0092soconnell@vergescientific.com
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