Key leadership appointments bolster Genevant's team of world-class RNA experts and strengthen position as the leading company pursuing a multiple modality "pan-RNA" approach
Development of in-house and partnered RNA programs on track, with the aim of delivering 5+ product candidates to the clinic by 2020
Genevant Sciences, a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of a broad range of RNA-based therapeutics across multiple modalities, today announced the appointment of Bo Rode Hansen, MBA, Ph.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer and Mark Kay, M.D., Ph.D., as an independent member of its Board of Directors.
"I am honored to serve and lead this exceptional team," Dr. Hansen said. "Genevant is well positioned to succeed as the first modality-agnostic RNA therapeutics company. We believe RNA therapeutics will expand the horizon of druggable targets, permitting us to develop treatments for a range of disorders with high unmet need. Our holistic approach is truly differentiated and allows us to fully maximize the potential of these therapeutics."
Prior to joining Genevant earlier this year, Dr. Hansen served as Global Head of RNA Therapeutics at Roche, and as General Manager of the Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen. Prior to Roche, he was Vice President and Head of Drug Discovery Alliance Management and on the Executive Leadership Team at Santaris Pharma A/S through the company's acquisition by Roche in 2014. Dr. Hansen brings nearly two decades of experience leading strategy, innovation, drug discovery and business operations in the field of RNA therapeutics.
"Dr. Hansen has led over 50 RNA discovery programs and brings strong transactional, R&D, and leadership skills to his new role as President and CEO," said Paris Panayiotopoulos, Executive Chairman of Genevant. "Bo will be leading a team of world-class RNA experts who have already made impressive progress in advancing multiple programs across RNA modalities, both internally and through our 50/50 mRNA partnership with BioNTech."
Dr. Kay brings more than a decade of experience leading research in the field of RNA therapeutics to his role on the Board. Since 1998, he has served as the Dennis Farrey Family Professor in Pediatrics and Professor of Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he heads the human gene therapy division. Dr. Kay is a co-founder and member of the Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board of LogicBio Therapeutics. He is also a scientific co-founder and Scientific Advisory Board Member of Voyager Therapeutics, and has been a member of the Board of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS) for the last 10 years.
The appointments of Dr. Hansen and Dr. Kay further strengthen Genevant's team of RNA experts. Through its experienced leadership team and strong and comprehensive intellectual property position for its lipid nanoparticle (LNP) and ligand conjugate delivery platforms, Genevant is building a diverse pipeline across multiple modalities with a unique "pan-RNA" approach. Genevant's industry-leading LNP platform enabled the first and only approved RNAi product and it has been used in multiple RNAi and mRNA clinical programs. Unlike other companies that are singularly focused on individual RNA modalities, Genevant is able to leverage its nucleic acid delivery platforms to pursue mRNA, RNAi, and gene editing modalities, and select the optimal treatment approach for any given disease.
About Genevant Sciences
At Genevant, we aim to deliver innovative and meaningful therapies that improve the lives of people through our diverse pipeline of nucleic acid-based medicines. By pursuing a multiple modality "pan-RNA" approach to drug discovery and development, we are well-positioned to select and advance the best therapeutic approach for each disease area. Our rapidly growing pipeline is founded on our proprietary ligand conjugate platform and best-in-class lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology, which enabled the first RNAi product approval. Through our own internal development programs and strategic partnerships, we are committed to transforming the future of human health.
To learn more about us, please visit: www.genevant.com.
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Contacts:
Media Contact:
Karen Sharma
MacDougall Biomedical Communications
ksharma@macbiocom.com
Investor Contact:
investors@genevant.com
