Inozyme Pharma Announces Appointment of Biopharmaceutical Commercial Leader Erik Harris to its Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

Inozyme Pharma (Nasdaq: INZY) has appointed Erik Harris to its Board of Directors, effective October 3, 2024. Mr. Harris, currently Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President at Ultragenyx, brings over 20 years of commercial expertise in the biopharma industry. This appointment comes as Inozyme prepares for its transition into a commercial-stage company.

CEO Douglas A. Treco highlighted Harris's track record in launching rare disease therapies and his commercial insights as valuable assets for advancing INZ-701 through late-stage development. Harris expressed enthusiasm for INZ-701's potential in treating rare diseases affecting bone health and blood vessel function.

Harris's previous roles include senior positions at Ultragenyx, Crescendo Bioscience, Intermune, Elan Pharmaceuticals, Genentech, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He also serves on the Board of Directors at Denali Therapeutics. Harris holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business and a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy.

Positive

• Appointment of Erik Harris, an experienced commercial leader, to the Board of Directors
• Harris brings over 20 years of biopharma industry experience, particularly in rare disease therapies
• Strategic move to prepare for transition into a commercial-stage company
• Potential advancement of INZ-701 through late-stage development

Negative

• None.

BOSTON, Oct. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inozyme Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: INZY) (“the Company” or “Inozyme”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for rare diseases that affect bone health and blood vessel function, today announced the appointment of Erik Harris to its Board of Directors, effective October 3, 2024. Mr. Harris, who currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President at Ultragenyx, brings to Inozyme over 20 years of commercial expertise within the biopharma industry.

“It is a privilege to welcome Erik to the Inozyme Board of Directors at this exciting juncture for Inozyme as we continue to lay the groundwork for our transition into a commercial-stage company,” said Douglas A. Treco, Ph.D., CEO and Chairman of Inozyme Pharma. “Erik’s track record of spearheading successful launches for rare disease therapies, combined with his deep commercial insights, will be invaluable as we advance INZ-701 through late-stage development and prepare to bring this important program to patients.”

Mr. Harris added: “INZ-701 holds significant promise as an important new therapy for a broad range of serious rare diseases affecting bone health and blood vessel function. I look forward to collaborating with Inozyme’s talented team as they work toward unlocking the full potential of this innovative therapy for patients who urgently need it.”

Prior to his appointment as Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Harris served as the Senior Vice President and Head of North American Commercial Operations at Ultragenyx. Before joining Ultragenyx, he spent six years at Crescendo Bioscience, most recently as Vice President of Commercial. Earlier in his career, Mr. Harris served as Vice President of Marketing at Intermune, Inc., and held positions in the commercial organizations at Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Genentech, Inc., and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at Denali Therapeutics.

At the start of his professional career, Mr. Harris served as a Lieutenant Commander in Naval Aviation and Congressional Fellow for the United States Navy. Mr. Harris received his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business, and a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy. 

About Inozyme Pharma

Inozyme Pharma is a pioneering clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapeutics for rare diseases that affect bone health and blood vessel function. We are experts in the PPi-Adenosine Pathway, where the ENPP1 enzyme generates inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), which regulates mineralization, and adenosine, which controls intimal proliferation (the overgrowth of smooth muscle cells inside blood vessels). Disruptions in this pathway impact the levels of these molecules, leading to severe musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and neurological conditions, including ENPP1 Deficiency, ABCC6 Deficiency, calciphylaxis, and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).

Our lead candidate, INZ-701, is an ENPP1 Fc fusion protein enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) designed to increase PPi and adenosine, enabling the potential treatment of multiple diseases caused by deficiencies in these molecules. It is currently in clinical development for the treatment of ENPP1 Deficiency, ABCC6 Deficiency, and calciphylaxis. By targeting the PPi-Adenosine Pathway, INZ-701 aims to correct pathological mineralization and intimal proliferation, addressing the significant morbidity and mortality in these devastating diseases.

For more information, please visit https://www.inozyme.com/ or follow Inozyme on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the initiation, timing, and design of our planned clinical trials, availability of data from clinical trials, the potential benefits of INZ-701, our regulatory strategy, including our planned pathway to approval for the ABCC6 Deficiency program, and the period over which we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund our cash flow requirements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the Company's ability to conduct its ongoing clinical trials of INZ-701 for ENPP1 Deficiency, ABCC6 Deficiency, and calciphylaxis; enroll patients in ongoing and planned trials; obtain and maintain necessary approvals from the FDA and other regulatory authorities; continue to advance its product candidates in preclinical studies and clinical trials; replicate in later clinical trials positive results found in preclinical studies and early-stage clinical trials of its product candidates; advance the development of its product candidates under the timelines it anticipates in planned and future clinical trials; obtain, maintain, and protect intellectual property rights related to its product candidates; manage expenses; comply with covenants under its outstanding loan agreement; and raise the substantial additional capital needed to achieve its business objectives. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Company's actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the "Risk Factors" section in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors, in the Company's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company's views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

Contacts

Investors:
Inozyme Pharma
Stefan Riley, Senior Director of IR and Corporate Communications
(857) 330-8871
stefan.riley@inozyme.com

Media:
Biongage Communications
Todd Cooper
(617) 840-1637
Todd@biongage.com

FAQ

Who is the new board member appointed by Inozyme Pharma (INZY)?

Erik Harris, currently Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President at Ultragenyx, has been appointed to Inozyme Pharma's Board of Directors, effective October 3, 2024.

What experience does Erik Harris bring to Inozyme Pharma's (INZY) board?

Erik Harris brings over 20 years of commercial expertise in the biopharma industry, including experience in launching rare disease therapies and senior roles at companies like Ultragenyx, Crescendo Bioscience, and Intermune.

Why did Inozyme Pharma (INZY) appoint Erik Harris to its board?

Inozyme Pharma appointed Erik Harris to its board to leverage his commercial expertise as the company prepares for its transition into a commercial-stage company and advances INZ-701 through late-stage development.

What is the potential impact of Erik Harris joining Inozyme Pharma's (INZY) board?

Erik Harris's appointment could potentially help Inozyme Pharma in advancing INZ-701 through late-stage development and preparing for its commercialization, given his experience in launching rare disease therapies.