Decibel Therapeutics Announces Appointments of Alison Finger, MBA and Saraswathy Nochur, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors; Christine Poon Steps Down from Board

Rhea-AI Summary

Decibel Therapeutics (Nasdaq: DBTX) announced the appointments of Alison Finger, MBA, and Saraswathy Nochur, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors on December 6, 2021. CEO Laurence Reid highlighted their extensive biopharma experience as crucial for Decibel’s anticipated growth and regulatory affairs. The company also noted the departure of Christine Poon from the Board as of December 3, 2021. Finger and Nochur's backgrounds in commercial strategy and regulatory affairs are expected to enhance Decibel's capabilities in developing transformative treatments for hearing and balance disorders.

Positive

• Appointments of Alison Finger and Sara Nochur bring valuable biopharma experience to Decibel's Board.
• New board members are expected to contribute significantly to Decibel's growth strategy, particularly in regulatory affairs and commercial strategy.

Negative

• Departure of Christine Poon raises continuity concerns on the board.

BOSTON, Dec. 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Decibel Therapeutics (Nasdaq: DBTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing transformative treatments to restore and improve hearing and balance, today announced the appointments of Alison Finger, MBA and Saraswathy (“Sara”) Nochur, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors.

“I am thrilled to welcome Alison and Sara to the Decibel Board. Both bring a wealth of biopharma experience that is very relevant to Decibel’s trajectory and anticipated growth,” said Laurence Reid, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Decibel. “Our Board of Directors is focused on helping guide our long-term strategy to build a leading biotech company that will change the therapeutic options for people with severe forms of hearing and balance disorders. The appointments of Alison and Sara bring critical new perspectives to Decibel, particularly their significant experience in regulatory affairs and commercial strategy, as well as in shaping a pipeline and building a sustainable organization.”

Decibel also announced that Christine Poon has stepped down from the Board, effective December 3, 2021. "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Chris for her dedication and guidance over the past years," said William H. Carson, M.D., Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Chris is an extraordinary biopharmaceutical leader, and her experience has been invaluable to the Board and management as we transitioned to a public company and advanced our portfolio of product candidates. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors."

Ms. Finger most recently served as Chief Commercial Officer at bluebird bio. Prior to joining bluebird, she spent 21 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb, where she held leadership roles with responsibility for launching global, regional and national brands in hematology/oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and migraine/pain. She serves on the Board of VBL Therapeutics. Ms. Finger holds a bachelor’s degree in English from St. Lawrence University and a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Dr. Nochur, who has been active in Boston’s biotechnology industry since 1989, currently serves as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, following 14 years as Alnylam’s Head of Global Regulatory Affairs. At Alnylam, she built and led a world-class team of regulatory affairs professionals, enabling the multi-national development and approval of three novel drugs for the treatment of rare diseases. Dr. Nochur serves on the Board of Directors of Marinus Pharmaceuticals and is Chair of the Board for Hospitality Homes, a non-profit organization that provides free or low-cost housing for patients who come from all over the world to seek specialty medical care in Boston. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About Decibel Therapeutics
Decibel Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing transformative treatments to restore and improve hearing and balance, one of the largest areas of unmet need in medicine. Decibel has built a proprietary platform that integrates single-cell genomics and bioinformatic analyses, precision gene therapy technologies and expertise in inner ear biology. Decibel is leveraging its platform to advance gene therapies designed to selectively replace genes for the treatment of congenital, monogenic hearing loss and to regenerate inner ear hair cells for the treatment of acquired hearing and balance disorders. Decibel’s pipeline, including its lead gene therapy product candidate, DB-OTO, to treat congenital, monogenic hearing loss, is designed to deliver on our vision of creating a world of connection for people with hearing and balance disorders. For more information about Decibel Therapeutics, please visit www.decibeltx.com or follow us on Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release, including statements regarding Decibel’s strategy, future operations, prospects, plans, objectives of management and the therapeutic potential for Decibel’s product candidates and preclinical programs, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “objective,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “should,” or “would,” or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Decibel may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the identification and development of product candidates, including the conduct of research activities and the initiation and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials, the timing of and Decibel’s ability to submit and obtain approval to initiate clinical development of its product candidates, whether results from preclinical studies will be predictive of the results of later preclinical studies and clinical trials, whether Decibel’s cash resources are sufficient to fund its foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements, uncertainties related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Decibel’s business and operations, as well as the risks and uncertainties identified in Decibel’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including those risks detailed under the caption “Risk Factors” in Decibel’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2021 and in other filings Decibel may make with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Decibel’s views as of the date of this press release. Decibel anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while Decibel may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Decibel’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Investor Contact:
Julie Seidel
Stern IR, Inc.
212-362-1200
Julie.seidel@sternir.com

Media Contact:
Chris Railey
Ten Bridge Communications
617-834-0936
chris@tenbridgecommunications.com

FAQ

What is the significance of the new board appointments at Decibel Therapeutics (DBTX)?

The appointments of Alison Finger and Saraswathy Nochur are significant as they bring extensive biopharma expertise that aligns with Decibel's growth strategy and focus on hearing and balance disorder treatments.

Who are the new board members appointed by Decibel Therapeutics (DBTX)?

The new board members are Alison Finger, MBA, and Saraswathy Nochur, Ph.D., both of whom have substantial experience in the biopharma industry.

What impact could the board changes have on Decibel Therapeutics (DBTX)?

The new appointments could enhance Decibel's strategic direction and operational capabilities, particularly in regulatory affairs and commercial strategy, which are crucial for advancing its pipeline.

Why did Christine Poon step down from Decibel Therapeutics' (DBTX) board?

Christine Poon stepped down from the board effective December 3, 2021, but the specific reasons for her departure were not disclosed in the press release.