Allogene Therapeutics Appoints Timothy Moore as Chief Technical Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Allogene Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ALLO) has appointed Timothy Moore as Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, effective April 24, 2023. Moore, a former executive at Kite Pharma, is recognized for leading the successful manufacturing processes behind two top autologous CAR T therapies. His experience is expected to bolster Allogene's aim of being first to market with an allogeneic CAR T product. Timothy Moore succeeds Alison Moore, Ph.D., who will transition to a consulting role.

Moore brings over 30 years of expertise in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and operations, having played a key role in the development of Yescarta and Tecartus. His appointment comes as Allogene prepares for a potential regulatory submission for its allogeneic CAR T products, reflecting the company's commitment to advancing innovative cancer therapies.

Positive

• Timothy Moore's appointment is expected to strengthen Allogene's leadership in CAR T product development.
• Moore's extensive experience in the industry may enhance the company's manufacturing capabilities.
• The potential regulatory submission for an allogeneic CAR T product positions Allogene favorably in the market.

Negative

• The transition of Alison Moore, while she remains as a consultant, may raise concerns about continuity in leadership.

• Former Kite Pharma Executive Responsible for the Development and Commercial Launch of Two of the Most Successful Autologous CAR T Manufacturing Processes in the Industry
  
• Brings Unique Experience as a CAR T Pioneer in Advancing Next Generation Biocellular Production Processes to Support Commercial-Scale Supply

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T™) products for cancer, today announced the appointment of Timothy Moore to Executive Vice President, Chief Technical Officer effective April 24, 2023. The selection of Mr. Moore, the former Executive Vice President, Technical Operations of Kite Pharma responsible for the global development of two of the most commercially successful autologous CAR T manufacturing processes in the industry, reinforces the Company’s mission to being the first to bring an AlloCAR T product to market. Mr. Moore succeeds Alison Moore, Ph.D., who intends to serve as a consultant to Allogene.

“As we look ahead to what could be the industry’s first regulatory submission for an allogeneic CAR T product, we are thrilled to welcome Tim Moore to our team. Tim is a cell manufacturing pioneer, and as a valued colleague during our days together at Kite, there is no one more qualified to lead this critical function at this time. Once again, we both look forward to bringing to patients the next generation CAR T,” said David Chang, M.D., Ph.D., President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Allogene. “I would also like to thank Alison Moore for her accomplishments over the last five years. Not only has she built a stellar technical operations foundation, she exemplifies the spirit and dedication of our entire organization as we navigate the journey that comes with being a ‘pioneer’ in drug development.”

“During an event in 2016, I first used the phrase ‘Every Day Matters’ as we worked to reduce manufacturing timelines for autologous CAR T therapies. Years later, this phrase is even more prescient as we witness how the lengthy manufacturing impacts patients who must wait weeks, or even months, to receive FDA approved autologous CAR T therapy. As the person responsible for developing operational strategies to reduce manufacturing risk and mitigate supply chain challenges inherent to autologous therapies, I know the only way to deliver CAR T at scale and in a timely manner is through an allogeneic approach,” said Mr. Moore. “I’ve long admired the team at Allogene and their mission. I would like to thank my colleague Alison for her foundational work and vision building a premiere allogeneic cell therapy product manufacturing operation at Allogene and I am thrilled to now be a part of the team whose goal is to bring the next generation of CAR T products to patients.”  

Mr. Moore has more than three decades of leadership experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and operations. Mr. Moore was Executive Vice President, Technical Operations at Kite Pharma (now a Gilead company) from 2016 to 2019, where he was responsible for the process development, manufacturing, quality and supply chain for Yescarta^®, the first FDA approved CAR T therapy for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He and his team also developed the manufacturing process for Kite’s second FDA approved autologous CAR T therapy, Tecartus^®. Mr. Moore expanded biopharmaceutical operations to serve and support the US and EU as well as key partners in Asia. Most recently, he continued his effort of advancing the field of engineered cell manufacturing as Chief Operating Officer of Instil Bio, and President and Chief Operating Officer of PACT Pharma. Prior to Kite, Mr. Moore served as the Senior Vice President, Head of Global Technical Operations – Biologics of Genentech, Inc. and as a member of the Genentech Executive Committee where he oversaw global leadership for more than 7,500 professionals across 10 internal sites and over 37 contract manufacturing organizations, as well as global manufacturing and end-to-end quality supply performance of more than 20 biological product families. He also serves as a Board member for Cerus and BioLife Solutions. Mr. Moore received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tulsa University and a M.S. in Engineering Management from Northwestern University.

About Allogene Therapeutics
Allogene Therapeutics, with headquarters in South San Francisco, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell (AlloCAR T™) products for cancer. Led by a management team with significant experience in cell therapy, Allogene is developing a pipeline of “off-the-shelf” CAR T product candidates with the goal of delivering readily available cell therapy on-demand, more reliably, and at greater scale to more patients. For more information, please visit www.allogene.com, and follow @AllogeneTx on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release may, in some cases, use terms that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: our potential first regulatory submission for an allogeneic CAR T product; the ability to develop allogeneic CAR T products for cancer and the potential benefits of AlloCAR T. Various factors may cause material differences between Allogene’s expectations and actual results, including, risks and uncertainties related to: our product candidates are based on novel technologies, which makes it difficult to predict the time and cost of product candidate development and obtaining regulatory approval. These and other risks are discussed in greater detail in Allogene’s filings with the SEC, including without limitation under the “Risk Factors” heading of its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Allogene assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

AlloCAR T™ is a trademark of Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.
Yescarta^® is a registered trademark of Kite Pharma, Inc., a Gilead Company

Allogene’s AlloCAR T™ programs utilize the Cellectis TALEN^® technologies. ALLO-501 and ALLO-501A are anti-CD19 products being jointly developed under a collaboration agreement between Servier and Allogene based on an exclusive license granted by Cellectis to Servier. Servier grants to Allogene exclusive rights to ALLO-501 and ALLO-501A in the U.S. The anti-BCMA and anti-CD70 AlloCAR T programs are licensed exclusively from Cellectis by Allogene and Allogene holds global development and commercial rights to these AlloCAR T programs.

Allogene Media/Investor Contact:
Christine Cassiano
Chief Communications Officer
(714) 552-0326
Christine.Cassiano@allogene.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c2a57a5d-963b-48b2-b3d8-f38e16403918

FAQ

What is the significance of Timothy Moore's appointment at Allogene Therapeutics?

Timothy Moore's appointment as Chief Technical Officer is significant as he brings extensive experience in CAR T manufacturing, which is crucial for Allogene's goal to lead the market with its allogeneic CAR T products.

What are Timothy Moore's previous achievements in the CAR T industry?

Timothy Moore previously led the successful development and commercial launch of Yescarta and Tecartus at Kite Pharma, notable autologous CAR T therapies.

When did Timothy Moore officially start his role at Allogene Therapeutics?

Timothy Moore officially begins his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer on April 24, 2023.

What impact might Timothy Moore's leadership have on Allogene's future?

Under Timothy Moore's leadership, Allogene is expected to improve its manufacturing processes and expedite the development of its allogeneic CAR T products, potentially leading to a successful regulatory submission.

Who did Timothy Moore replace at Allogene Therapeutics?

Timothy Moore replaces Alison Moore, Ph.D., who will continue her involvement with the company as a consultant.