FibroGen Appoints Percy Carter, MBA, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

FibroGen, Inc. has appointed Percy Carter as the Chief Scientific Officer to enhance its research efforts. Dr. Carter brings over 20 years of biopharmaceutical experience, previously serving as Global Head of Discovery Sciences at Janssen. His background includes significant roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb and DuPont Pharmaceuticals, highlighting his leadership in drug discovery. CEO Enrique Conterno emphasized the importance of Dr. Carter's expertise in advancing FibroGen's unique therapeutic developments, particularly in hypoxia-inducible factor and connective tissue growth factor biology.

Positive

• Appointment of Percy Carter as Chief Scientific Officer expected to strengthen research leadership.
• Carter's extensive experience in drug discovery may enhance FibroGen's innovative pipeline.
• Potential for accelerated development of first-in-class therapeutics under new leadership.

Negative

• None.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) announced the appointment of Percy Carter, MBA, PhD, to the newly-created position of Chief Scientific Officer, where he will lead FibroGen’s research efforts, leveraging more than 20 years of global biopharmaceutical leadership and experience.

“Great science and innovation are the backbone of FibroGen and what enable us to develop transformational medicines for patients. With Percy’s leadership, we will continue our legacy of biological breakthroughs and advancing first-in-class therapeutics,” said Enrique Conterno, Chief Executive Officer, FibroGen. “Percy’s expertise and experience make him the ideal person to lead FibroGen’s scientific agenda. I look forward to his leadership impact on advancing our unique position in both hypoxia-inducible factor and connective tissue growth factor biology to expand our pipeline of novel drug candidates.”

Dr. Carter most recently served as Global Head of Discovery Sciences at Janssen (Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson) where he led a global organization of over 700 employees comprising several key functions, including: Computational Sciences; Discovery Chemistry; Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics; Lead Discovery; and Core Business Services. Percy worked in collaboration with therapeutic area discovery scientists and other stakeholders to define and operationalize innovative strategies for the successful identification and optimization of novel small molecule, peptide, and RNA-based drug candidates.

Prior to his role with Janssen, Percy was Senior Vice President and Head of Discovery for Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS). For almost two decades at BMS, he held roles of increasing responsibility in drug discovery, covering all therapeutic areas, drug platforms and stages of discovery. Percy began his career as a Senior Research Scientist in Chemical and Physical Sciences at DuPont Pharmaceuticals, and joined BMS when the company acquired DuPont Pharmaceuticals in 2001. During his combined time at BMS and DuPont, he collaborated with a wide range of colleagues to help build the immunoscience pipeline. In 2013, after moving into a cross-therapeutic area role, Percy worked on advancing the overall portfolio, driving innovation in supporting technologies, non-traditional modalities, and novel external partnerships.
Dr. Carter also led the BMS/Syngene R&D collaboration at the BBRC in Bangalore, India for two years across all aspects of discovery.

Percy is an inventor or co-inventor on more than 28 U.S. patents and has authored or co-authored more than 85 peer-reviewed publications. He received his bachelor’s degree in Organic Chemistry from Dartmouth College, his PhD in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from Harvard University, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2014, he received his MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“I’ve been impressed by the innovation at FibroGen. I’m excited to take on this unique opportunity at a company with expansive HIF and CTGF expertise,” said Dr. Carter. “I look forward to working with the research organization to advance the next wave of medicines.”

About FibroGen
FibroGen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing a pipeline of first-in-class therapeutics. The company applies its pioneering expertise in hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) biology to advance innovative medicines to treat unmet needs. The Company is currently developing and commercializing roxadustat, an oral small molecule inhibitor of HIF prolyl hydroxylase activity, for anemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Roxadustat is also in clinical development for anemia associated with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and for chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA). Pamrevlumab, an anti-CTGF human monoclonal antibody, is in clinical development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and coronavirus (COVID-19). For more information, please visit www.fibrogen.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding our strategy, future plans and prospects, including statements regarding the development and commercialization of the company’s product candidates. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “will”, “should,” “on track,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties related to the continued progress and timing of our various programs, including the enrollment and results from ongoing and potential future clinical trials, and other matters that are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for quarter ended June 30, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors set forth therein. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as required by law.

Contact:
FibroGen, Inc.

Media Inquiries:
Sara Iacovino
1.703.474.4452
sara.iacovino@gcihealth.com

Investors:
Michael Tung, MD
Corporate Strategy / Investor Relations
1.415.978.1434
mtung@fibrogen.com

 

FAQ

Who is Percy Carter and what is his role at FibroGen?

Percy Carter has been appointed as Chief Scientific Officer at FibroGen, where he will lead the company's research initiatives.

What experience does Percy Carter bring to FibroGen?

Carter brings over 20 years of experience, including leadership roles at Janssen and Bristol-Myers Squibb, in drug discovery and development.

How might Percy Carter's appointment impact FibroGen?

Carter's leadership is expected to enhance FibroGen's research capabilities and accelerate the development of innovative therapeutics.

What is FibroGen's focus in drug development?

FibroGen focuses on first-in-class therapeutics, particularly in hypoxia-inducible factor and connective tissue growth factor biology.