AGTC Announces Key Appointments to Leadership Team
AGTC announces the appointment of Eduardo Jacobo as Sr. Vice President of GMP Manufacturing and Dr. David Jacobs as Sr. Vice President of Clinical Research and Medical Affairs. Jacobo brings over 30 years of healthcare experience, having previously led GMP gene therapy manufacturing at Sangamo Therapeutics. Dr. Jacobs has over 20 years of experience in biopharmaceutical development, previously overseeing clinical programs at Biogen and Daiichi Sankyo. AGTC aims to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and advance its clinical programs in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa and achromatopsia.
- Eduardo Jacobo's extensive experience in healthcare and GMP manufacturing could strengthen AGTC's operational capabilities.
- Dr. David Jacobs' clinical expertise may enhance the company's ability to advance its gene therapy programs successfully.
- Concerns may arise regarding potential gaps in continuity and experience with the new leadership team.
AGTC Welcomes Eduardo Jacobo as the Sr. Vice President of GMP Manufacturing and Dr. David Jacobs as the Sr. Vice President of Clinical Research and Medical Affairs
GAINESVILLE, Fla. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: AGTC), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies for the treatment of rare and debilitating diseases with an initial focus on inherited retinal diseases, today announced the appointments of Eduardo Jacobo, P.E., as Senior Vice President of GMP Manufacturing, and Dr. David Jacobs, MD, MBA, FACP, as Senior Vice President of Clinical Research and Medical Affairs.
Eduardo Jacobo has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, spending much of his time leading manufacturing, supply chain, quality, engineering, and process development functions. Eduardo comes to AGTC from Sangamo Therapeutics, where he led good manufacturing practice (GMP) gene therapy manufacturing efforts, including new facility commissioning. Prior to this, he held positions of increasing responsibility across many manufacturing programs at several companies, including Amgen, Eli Lilly and Zimmer.
Dr. David Jacobs is a highly regarded clinician and pharmaceutical executive who brings over 20 years of experience spanning all aspects of biopharmaceutical product development. Prior to joining AGTC, Dr. Jacobs led clinical programs from Phase 1 to Phase 4 across many therapeutic areas, including ophthalmology, the central nervous system, and gastrointestinal diseases, for several companies, including Biogen and Daiichi Sankyo.
“We are excited to welcome Eduardo and David to AGTC as we advance our lead clinical programs in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa and achromatopsia, and expand our manufacturing capabilities,” said Sue Washer, President, and CEO of AGTC. “With their deep and highly relevant experience, we believe these leaders will be a key asset to the Company as we advance our innovative gene therapies toward potential commercialization and work to complete the buildout of our new manufacturing facility in Alachua, Florida.”
About AGTC
AGTC is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing genetic therapies for people with rare and debilitating ophthalmic, otologic and central nervous system (CNS) diseases. AGTC is a leader in designing and constructing all critical gene therapy elements and bringing them together to develop customized therapies with the potential to address unmet patient needs. AGTC’s most advanced clinical programs leverage its best-in-class technology platform to potentially improve vision for patients with inherited retinal diseases. AGTC has active clinical trials in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) and achromatopsia (ACHM CNGB3). Its preclinical programs build on the company’s industry leading AAV manufacturing technology and scientific expertise. AGTC is advancing multiple important pipeline candidates to address substantial unmet clinical needs in optogenetics, otology and CNS disorders, and has entered strategic collaborations with companies including Bionic Sight, an innovator in the emerging field of optogenetics, and retinal coding and Otonomy, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative therapeutics for neurotology. For more information, please visit https://agtc.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements that reflect AGTC's plans, estimates, assumptions and beliefs, including statements about the potential of the company’s gene therapy platform, its pipeline including its development plans for its product candidates to treat XLRP and ACHM CNGB3, and the completion and operation of its planned manufacturing facility. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by terms such as "anticipates," "believes," "could," "seeks," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "projects," "should," "will," "would" or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, due to a number of important factors. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include, among others: gene therapy is still novel with only a few approved treatments so far; AGTC cannot predict when or if it will obtain regulatory approval to commercialize its product candidates for XLRP or ACHM CNGB3 or receive reasonable reimbursement; risks and uncertainties associated with drug development, regulatory review and commercialization; risks and uncertainties related to funding sources for the Company’s development programs; risks related to the completion and operation of the Company’s planned manufacturing facility, the direct and indirect impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, results of operations, and financial condition; factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as it may be supplemented by subsequent periodic reports filed with the SEC. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent management's plans, estimates, assumptions and beliefs only as of the date of this release. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
PR Contact:
Kerry Sinclair
Spectrum Science Communications
Corporate Contact:
Jonathan Lieber
Chief Financial Officer
Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation
T: (617) 843-5778
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