Caribou Biosciences Appoints Syed Rizvi, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer
January 18 2022 - 8:00AM
Caribou Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRBU), a leading clinical-stage
CRISPR genome-editing biopharmaceutical company, today announced
the appointment of Syed Rizvi, M.D., to the newly created position
of chief medical officer. Dr. Rizvi has more than two decades of
experience in all stages of drug development, from clinical
strategy and execution through regulatory submissions to support
approval and commercialization of several cancer treatments,
including two autologous CAR-T cell therapies ABECMA® and
BREYANZI®.
“Syed’s extensive industry knowledge, strategic
insight, and significant leadership experience in the development
of oncology cell therapies will be valuable to Caribou as we
advance our pipeline of sophisticated genome-edited allogeneic
therapeutics,” said Rachel Haurwitz, Ph.D., Caribou’s president and
chief executive officer. “In 2022, we plan to disclose initial data
from our ANTLER Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating CB-010, file an
IND application for our second CAR-T cell product candidate,
CB-011, and announce target selection for our first CAR-NK cell
therapy, CB-020. We have a transformative year ahead of us and I am
delighted to welcome Syed to the Caribou team.”
“I am thrilled to join Caribou, a pioneering
company at the cutting edge of CRISPR genome editing and allogeneic
cell therapy discovery and development,” said Dr. Rizvi. “Caribou’s
promising pipeline and highly specific Cas12a chRDNA technology
have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of patients with
cancer and may have broader applications. I am excited to lead
Caribou’s clinical development initiatives and look forward to
working with our experienced leadership team, dedicated colleagues,
investigators, and regulatory authorities to achieve Caribou’s
mission to provide innovative, transformative therapies for
patients with devastating diseases.”
Dr. Rizvi most recently served as chief medical
officer of Chimeric Therapeutics, where he led the strategy and
execution of clinical development programs for the company’s T cell
and NK cell therapy platforms and helped build the pipeline.
Previously, he worked for Legend Biotech, a cell therapy company,
serving as head and vice president of clinical development,
clinical operations, safety, data sciences, project management, and
medical affairs, and he served as co-chair of the joint development
committee for the Legend-Janssen collaboration. At Legend, he led
the development of Cilta-cel, an autologous BCMA CAR-T cell
therapy, as well as other cell therapies. Earlier, he worked for
Celgene Corporation (now a Bristol Myers Company), serving as the
head of global medical affairs for CAR-T cell programs and head of
hematology and immuno-oncology for U.S. medical affairs. At
Celgene, he was responsible for the strategic direction and
management of Celgene’s CAR-T cell and immuno-oncology therapy
portfolios. He built a comprehensive clinical research alliance and
developed an immuno-oncology network with researchers to harness
scientific learnings and advance clinical development for targeted
patient outcomes. At Celgene, he was responsible for the global
medical strategy supporting the clinical development of ABECMA® in
multiple myeloma and BREYANZI® in lymphoma, both autologous CAR-T
cell therapies. He previously held global clinical leadership
positions of increasing responsibility for oncology programs at
Novartis, Merck, and Genta, Inc.
Dr. Rizvi received his medical degree from Dow
Medical College and spent several years in direct patient care
before joining Saint Vincent’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in New
York. Dr. Rizvi has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications
and is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the
American Society of Hematology, the American Society for
Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, and other professional
organizations.
About Caribou’s Novel Next-Generation
CRISPR PlatformCRISPR genome editing uses easily designed,
modular biological tools to make DNA changes in living cells. There
are two basic components of Type II CRISPR systems: the nuclease
protein that cuts DNA and the RNA molecule(s) that guide the
nuclease to generate a site-specific, double-stranded break,
leading to an edit at the targeted genomic site. CRISPR systems
occasionally edit unintended genomic sites, known as off-target
editing, which may lead to harmful effects on cellular function and
phenotype. In response to this challenge, Caribou has developed
chRDNAs (pronounced “chardonnays”), RNA-DNA hybrid guides that
direct substantially more precise genome editing compared to
all-RNA guides. Caribou is deploying the power of its Cas12a chRDNA
technology to carry out high efficiency multiple edits, including
multiplex gene insertions, to develop CRISPR-edited therapies.
About Caribou Biosciences,
Inc.Caribou Biosciences is a clinical-stage CRISPR
genome-editing biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing
transformative therapies for patients with devastating diseases.
The company’s genome-editing platform, including its proprietary
Cas12a chRDNA technology, enables superior precision to develop
cell therapies that are specifically engineered for enhanced
persistence. Caribou is advancing a pipeline of off-the-shelf CAR-T
and CAR-NK cell therapies for the treatment of patients with
hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.
Follow us @CaribouBio and visit
www.cariboubio.com.
“Caribou Biosciences” and the Caribou logo are
registered trademarks of Caribou Biosciences, Inc.
ABECMA® and BREYANZI® are registered trademarks of
Bristol Myers Squibb.
Forward-Looking Statements This
press release contains forward-looking statements, within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These forward-looking statements include, without limitation,
statements related to Caribou’s strategy, plans and objectives, and
expectations regarding its clinical and preclinical development
programs, including its timing expectations regarding the foregoing
including the expected timing of disclosure of initial data, future
IND filings, and target selection for Caribou’s first CAR-NK cell
therapy. Management believes that these forward-looking statements
are reasonable as and when made. However, such forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual
results may differ materially from any future results expressed or
implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties
include without limitation the risks inherent in drug development
such as those associated with the initiation, cost, timing,
progress and results of current and future research and development
programs, preclinical studies, and clinical trials, as well as
other risk factors described from time to time in Caribou’s filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its final
prospectus filed on July 23, 2021. In light of the significant
uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not
rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future
events. Except as required by law, Caribou undertakes no obligation
to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any
reason.
Caribou Biosciences,
Inc. Contacts: |
Amy Figueroa, CFA |
Investor Relations and Corporate
Communications |
afigueroa@cariboubio.com |
|
Investors: |
Elizabeth Wolffe, Ph.D., and
Sylvia Wheeler |
Wheelhouse LSA |
lwolffe@wheelhouselsa.com |
swheeler@wheelhouselsa.com |
|
Media: |
Greg Kelley |
Ogilvy |
gregory.kelley@ogilvy.com |
617-461-4023 |
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