Finch Therapeutics Announces the Appointment of Marc Blaustein as Chief Operating Officer
September 08 2021 - 7:00AM
Finch Therapeutics Group, Inc. (“Finch” or “Finch Therapeutics”)
(Nasdaq: FNCH), a clinical-stage microbiome therapeutics company
leveraging its Human-First Discovery® platform to develop a novel
class of orally administered biological drugs, today announced the
appointment of Marc Blaustein as Chief Operating Officer. Mr.
Blaustein is a seasoned biopharmaceutical executive with more than
20 years of experience building and leading companies and critical
business functions including operations, business development,
program management, and manufacturing.
“I am delighted to welcome Marc to the Finch team at a time when
we are positioned to make significant advancements across our
microbiome therapeutics platform,” said Mark Smith, PhD, Chief
Executive Officer of Finch Therapeutics. “Marc has demonstrated
immediate impact within the companies he joins and we believe his
broad skillset and successful track record in drug development and
commercialization will be invaluable to our organization. I look
forward to leveraging Marc’s experience and operational expertise
as Finch enters its next phase of growth, with our lead candidate
in late-stage clinical development and a growing pipeline of
programs headed towards the clinic with an expected data-rich
period ahead.”
“The field of microbiome therapeutics is an incredibly exciting
emerging target for innovation and Finch’s platform offers a novel
modality to potentially address a wide range of serious unmet
medical needs. I am thrilled to join Finch at such a pivotal time
and hope to draw from my experience to continue building upon the
momentum generated by Finch’s promising clinical data and
translational research,” said Mr. Blaustein.
Mr. Blaustein most recently consulted as the Head of Business
Development for Guide Therapeutics, which was acquired by Beam
Therapeutics in 2021. Prior to Guide Therapeutics, Mr. Blaustein
was the Chief Executive Officer of NED Biosystems and co-founder
and Chief Executive Officer of Akashi Therapeutics. Before founding
Akashi, he served in various leadership positions across several
biotechnology companies, including Senior Vice President of
Manufacturing, Process and Commercial Operations at Dyax Corp. (now
Takeda), where he led the development of Kalbitor®. Prior to Dyax,
Mr. Blaustein held business development and management roles at
Alkermes, where he initiated and led the development program for
Vivitrol®. Prior to Alkermes, Mr. Blaustein worked in business
development at Genetics Institute (now Pfizer). Mr. Blaustein began
his career in management consulting, first at Mercer Management
Consulting, and then as a founding partner of Northbridge
Consulting. Mr. Blaustein received his master’s degree in Public
Policy from Harvard University and bachelor’s degree in Biology
from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.
About Finch Therapeutics
Finch Therapeutics is a clinical-stage microbiome therapeutics
company leveraging its Human-First Discovery® platform to develop a
novel class of orally administered biological drugs. With the
capabilities to develop both complete and targeted microbiome
therapeutics, Finch is advancing a rich pipeline of candidates
designed to address a wide range of unmet medical needs. Finch’s
lead candidate, CP101, is in late-stage clinical development for
the prevention of recurrent C. difficile infection (CDI), and has
received Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations from the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In June 2020, Finch announced
that CP101 met its primary efficacy endpoint in PRISM3, the first
of two pivotal trials to support the development of CP101 for the
prevention of recurrent CDI. PRISM4, a Phase 3 trial, is designed
to serve as the second pivotal trial of CP101 for recurrent CDI.
Finch is also developing CP101 for the treatment of chronic
hepatitis B virus, and FIN-211 for the treatment of the
gastrointestinal and behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum
disorder. Finch has a partnership with Takeda focused on the
development of targeted microbiome therapeutics for inflammatory
bowel disease.
Human-First Discovery® is a registered trademark of Finch
Therapeutics Group, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements 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, as amended. Words such as "anticipates," "believes,"
"expects," "intends," “plans,” “potential,” "projects,” “would” and
"future" or similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: Finch’s
strategy and plans, including in regards to development activities
as well as Finch’s ability to advance a novel class of therapeutics
across its platform and pipeline. Because such statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others:
Finch’s limited operating history and historical losses; Finch’s
ability to raise additional funding to complete the development and
any commercialization of its product candidates; Finch’s dependence
on the success of its lead product candidate, CP101; the
possibility that Finch may be delayed in initiating, enrolling or
completing any clinical trials; results of clinical trials may not
be indicative of final or future results from later stage or larger
clinical trials (or in broader patient populations once the product
is approved for use by regulatory agencies) or may not be favorable
or may not support further development; Finch’s product candidates
may not generate the benefits to patients that are anticipated;
anticipated regulatory approvals may be delayed or refused;
competition from third parties that are developing products for
similar uses; Finch’s ability to maintain patent and other
intellectual property protection and the possibility that Finch’s
intellectual property rights may be infringed, invalid or
unenforceable or will be threatened by third parties; Finch’s
ability to qualify and scale its manufacturing capabilities in
anticipation of commencement of multiple global clinical trials;
Finch’s lack of experience in selling, marketing and distributing
its product candidates; Finch’s dependence on third parties in
connection with manufacturing, clinical trials and preclinical
studies; and risks relating to the impact and duration of the
COVID-19 pandemic on Finch’s business. These and other risks are
described more fully in Finch’s filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the section titled “Risk
Factors” in in Finch’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the
SEC on August 10, 2021, as well as discussions of potential risks,
uncertainties, and other important factors in Finch’s other filings
with the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this
press release speak only as of the date on which they were made.
Except to the extent required by law, Finch 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:
Laurence WattsGilmartin Group(619)
916-7620laurence@gilmartinir.com
or
Stephen JasperGilmartin Group(858)
525-2047stephen@gilmartinir.com
Media Contact:
Jenna UrbanBerry & Company Public Relations(212)
253-8881jurban@berrypr.com
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