CymaBay Announces Appointment of Éric Lefebvre, M.D. to Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

CymaBay Therapeutics (CBAY) appointed Dr. Éric Lefebvre to its Board of Directors, enhancing its leadership in liver disease therapies. Dr. Lefebvre brings over a decade of experience in pharmaceutical development, particularly in liver disease indications, which aligns with CymaBay's focus on its clinical candidate, seladelpar. The company aims to advance seladelpar toward regulatory approval and commercialization, especially for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). CymaBay's breakthrough therapy and orphan drug designations underscore its commitment to addressing unmet medical needs.

Positive

• Appointment of Dr. Éric Lefebvre brings extensive experience in liver disease therapeutics.
• Dr. Lefebvre's expertise is expected to guide seladelpar through late-stage clinical development.
• CymaBay retains breakthrough therapy and orphan drug designations for seladelpar.

Negative

• Potential risks associated with clinical trials and regulatory approvals.

NEWARK, Calif., March 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CymaBay Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for liver and other chronic diseases with high unmet need, today announced the appointment of Dr. Éric Lefebvre to its Board of Directors.

“We are excited to be welcoming Éric to the Board. Éric’s extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry as an executive focused on clinical development, medical affairs, business development and life-cycle strategy and more than 10 years of experience developing drugs in liver disease indications make him a perfect addition to our Board. We look forward to Éric helping guide us through our next phase of development and commercialization,” said Dr. Robert Wills, CymaBay’s Chairman of the Board.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be able to add such extensive experience and critical skill sets to our Board as we advance seladelpar through late-stage clinical development towards regulatory approval and commercialization,” concluded President and Chief Executive Officer, Sujal Shah. “Éric’s expertise in liver disease and strategic leadership in the industry will compliment the talents and contributions of our existing Board members to help us achieve our goal to bring new treatments to patients in need.”  

“I’m looking forward to supporting CymaBay’s mission of improving the lives of patients with rare liver disease as a member of the Board,” said Dr. Lefebvre. “Having followed the seladelpar development program over the past few years at multiple medical meetings, I believe data to date have been encouraging and am excited about the potential for seladelpar to address unmet needs for patients with primary biliary cholangitis.”

About Dr. Lefebvre
Dr. Lefebvre is serving as Chief Medical Officer of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, where he has served as such since May 2018. Prior to joining Pliant, Dr. Lefebvre served as the Vice President of Research and Development at Allergan plc, a global pharmaceutical company, from November 2016 until April 2018. Prior to Allergan, Dr. Lefebvre served as Chief Medical Officer of Tobira Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, from January 2012 until November 2016. Dr. Lefebvre also led global clinical development and global medical affairs at Janssen Pharmaceuticals for 10 years prior to starting his pharmaceutical career at GlaxoSmithKline Canada. This was preceded by 15 years of providing primary care at Clinique Médicale L’Actuel in Montreal, Canada. He holds a B.S. in Health Sciences from Edouard-Montpetit College and an M.D. from the University of Montreal.

About CymaBay
CymaBay Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of people with liver and other chronic diseases that have high unmet medical need through a pipeline of innovative therapies. Our deep understanding of the underlying mechanisms of liver inflammation and fibrosis, and the unique targets that play a role in their progression, have helped us receive breakthrough therapy designation (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), PRIority MEdicines status (European Medicines Agency) and orphan drug status (U.S. and Europe) for seladelpar, a first-in-class treatment for people with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Our evidence-based decision-making and commitment to the highest quality standards reflect our relentless dedication to the people, families and communities we serve. To learn more, visit www.cymabay.com and follow us on Twitter and Linkedin. 

Cautionary Statements
The statements in this press release regarding the potential for seladelpar to treat PBC, the potential benefits to patients, CymaBay’s expectations and plans regarding its current and future clinical trials and CymaBay’s ability to fund current and planned clinical trials are forward looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events regarding the further development of seladelpar could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks related to: the success, cost and timing of any of CymaBay's product development activities, including clinical trials; effects observed in trials to date that may not be repeated in the future; any delays or inability to obtain or maintain regulatory approval of CymaBay's product candidates in the United States or worldwide; and the ability of CymaBay to obtain sufficient financing to complete development, regulatory approval and commercialization of its product candidates in the United States and worldwide. Additional risks relating to CymaBay are contained in CymaBay's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. CymaBay disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

For additional information about CymaBay visit www.cymabay.com.

Public Relations Contact:                                    

Glenn Silver
Lazar-FINN Partners
(973) 818-8198
Glenn.silver@finnpartners.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Hans Vitzthum
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
(617) 430-7578
Hans@LifeSciAdvisors.com 

FAQ

What is the significance of Dr. Éric Lefebvre's appointment to CymaBay's Board?

Dr. Lefebvre's extensive experience in liver disease enhances CymaBay's leadership as it advances seladelpar toward commercialization.

How does the appointment of Dr. Lefebvre impact CymaBay's seladelpar development?

His background in pharmaceutical development is expected to provide valuable insights into the late-stage clinical trials for seladelpar.

What are the risks mentioned in CymaBay's press release regarding seladelpar?

The press release highlights risks related to the success, cost, and timing of product development activities, including clinical trials and regulatory approvals.

What is seladelpar and its importance to CymaBay?

Seladelpar is CymaBay's candidate for treating primary biliary cholangitis, and it has received breakthrough therapy designation, underscoring its potential impact on patient care.