Beam Therapeutics Appoints Amy Simon, M.D., Chief Medical Officer
Beam Therapeutics (Nasdaq: BEAM) announced the appointment of Amy Simon, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer, effective March 15, 2021. With over 20 years of experience in clinical development, Dr. Simon previously held significant roles at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, where she led the clinical development of RNAi-based therapies and was key in the approval of GIVLAARI. CEO John Evans highlighted the importance of her expertise as Beam progresses towards its first IND application for BEAM-101 in late 2021. Dr. Simon aims to leverage Beam's pioneering base editing technology to deliver transformative therapies for serious diseases.
- Appointment of Amy Simon as CMO expected to bring valuable clinical development expertise.
- Dr. Simon's past success with drug approvals, particularly GIVLAARI, could enhance Beam's credibility.
- Anticipation around the IND application for BEAM-101 in the second half of 2021 indicates growth potential.
- Concerns may arise regarding continuity and experience gaps during the transition of leadership.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beam Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: BEAM), a biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines through base editing, today announced that drug development expert Amy Simon, M.D., has been appointed as the company’s chief medical officer. Dr. Simon brings more than 20 years of clinical experience to Beam, serving in roles as a physician-scientist in academia and the biotechnology industry.
“Amy is a dedicated physician and experienced drug developer who has worked across a wide range of disease areas, delivering innovative genetic medicines into the clinic and through approval,” said John Evans, chief executive officer of Beam. “We have made significant progress advancing our lead base editing programs through research, preclinical and now IND-enabling studies, with our first IND application for our lead candidate, BEAM-101 slated for the second half of this year. Amy’s translational and clinical development expertise will be invaluable as we prepare for our next phase as a clinical-stage company. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Beam team.”
“Beam is built on an inspiring vision of bringing life-changing medicines to patients, and I couldn’t be more excited to join this talented team,” said Dr. Simon. “We have a unique opportunity to advance a broad portfolio of potentially one-time, disease-altering programs using base editing technology and a precision medicine approach supported by clear human genetics. I believe 2021 will be a transformative year for Beam as we leverage our strong research organization and further build out our clinical development organization. I look forward to partnering with the entire team to help bring new therapeutic options to patients suffering from serious diseases.”
Dr. Simon joins Beam from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, where she spent over a decade in various roles with increasing responsibility for the clinical development of RNAi-based medicines, most recently serving as vice president, clinical development. During her tenure at Alnylam, she led the successful execution of clinical programs from natural history studies to Phase 1 through Phase 4 studies, regulatory interactions with both U.S. and ex-U.S. authorities, and drug approvals in the U.S. and EU. Dr. Simon was the lead clinician developing GIVLAARI® (givosiran) for patients with acute hepatic porphyria, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2019. Prior to entering the biotech industry, Dr. Simon worked in academia at Tufts University, serving as a professor and a director of the Asthma Center in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division at Tufts University School of Medicine and as a professor at Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Science where her laboratory conducted basic science research on asthma. She began her career in clinical practice, training as a resident in internal medicine and as a fellow in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Simon holds a B.A. in history and science from Harvard University, and an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine.
About Beam Therapeutics
Beam Therapeutics (Nasdaq: BEAM) is a biotechnology company committed to establishing the leading, fully integrated platform for precision genetic medicines. To achieve this vision, Beam has assembled a platform that includes a suite of gene editing and delivery technologies and is in the process of building internal manufacturing capabilities. Beam’s suite of gene editing technologies is anchored by base editing, a proprietary technology that enables precise, predictable and efficient single base changes, at targeted genomic sequences, without making double-stranded breaks in the DNA. This enables a wide range of potential therapeutic editing strategies that Beam is using to advance a diversified portfolio of base editing programs. Beam is a values-driven organization committed to its people, cutting-edge science, and a vision of providing life-long cures to patients suffering from serious diseases.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements related to: the expected timing of filing our first investigational new drug application, our ability to advance programs to the clinic; and the therapeutic applications and potential of our technology, including our ability to develop life-long, curative, precision genetic medicines for patients through base editing. Each forward-looking statement is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statement, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to: our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize our product candidates, which may take longer or cost more than planned; our ability to raise additional funding, which may not be available; our ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for our product candidates; the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; that preclinical testing of our product candidates and preliminary or interim data from preclinical and clinical trials may not be predictive of the results or success of ongoing or later clinical trials; that enrollment of our clinical trials may take longer than expected; that our product candidates may experience manufacturing or supply interruptions or failures; risks related to competitive products; and the other risks and uncertainties identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and in any subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements (except as otherwise noted) speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.
Contacts:
Investors:
Chelcie Lister
THRUST Strategic Communications
chelcie@thrustsc.com
Media:
Dan Budwick
1AB
dan@1abmedia.com
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