Ocugen Inc. Announces John Paul Gabriel as Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Rhea-AI Summary

Ocugen (NASDAQ: OCGN) announced the appointment of John Paul (J.P.) Gabriel as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain. With over 25 years of experience, Gabriel has held key roles in leading biopharmaceutical companies, including Sanofi Pasteur and Pfizer Vaccines. His expertise will be vital in facilitating the U.S. manufacturing of COVAXIN, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate co-developed by Ocugen. Gabriel is expected to contribute significantly to the technology transfer from Bharat Biotech, enhancing Ocugen's capabilities in the vaccine sector.

Positive

• Appointment of J.P. Gabriel enhances Ocugen's manufacturing capabilities for COVAXIN.
• J.P. Gabriel brings 25 years of biopharmaceutical experience, crucial for technology transfer from Bharat Biotech.

Negative

• None.

MALVERN, Pa., April 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocugen, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCGN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing gene therapies to cure blindness diseases and developing a vaccine to save lives from COVID-19, today announced that John Paul (J.P.) Gabriel will be joining as Senior Vice President (SVP), Manufacturing and Supply Chain.

John Paul (J.P.) Gabriel is a seasoned biopharmaceutical manufacturing professional with over 25 years of industry experience. Over the course of his career, Mr. Gabriel has held leadership positions with Sanofi Pasteur (formerly Connaught Laboratories), Pfizer Vaccines (formerly Wyeth), Genentech/Roche, and most recently with Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, where he was Vice President of Biologics and mRNA Manufacturing.

“We are pleased to welcome J.P. to the Ocugen team as we continue to plan for COVAXIN manufacturing in the US. As an established biopharma and vaccines operations leader, J.P. brings a wealth of manufacturing experience that will be instrumental in the technology transfer from Bharat Biotech for manufacturing in the U.S. market,” said Dr. Shankar Musunuri, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder of Ocugen.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the Ocugen team and share the team’s dedication to save lives from COVID-19. Bringing COVAXIN to the US market will be an important addition to our national arsenal of vaccines against COVID-19,” said J.P. Gabriel, SVP, Manufacturing and Supply Chain of Ocugen.

In addition to his expertise in biomanufacturing, Mr. Gabriel led teams in quality and validation and has extensive experience interacting with various international health authorities. He has broad international business knowledge gained from work assignments in Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. Mr. Gabriel earned an Honors Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with a Major in Microbiology and Minor in Biotechnology from the University of Guelph in Canada and an Advanced Certificate in Regulatory Affairs from the University of California San Diego. 

About Ocugen, Inc.
Ocugen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing gene therapies to cure blindness diseases and develop a vaccine to save lives from COVID-19. Our breakthrough modifier gene therapy platform has the potential to treat multiple retinal diseases with one drug – “one to many” and our novel biologic product candidate aims to offer better therapy to patients with underserved diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy. We are co-developing Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN™ vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in the U.S. market. For more information, please visit www.ocugen.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from our current expectations. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the risk factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

Ocugen Contact:
Ocugen, Inc.
Sanjay Subramanian
CFO and Head of Corp. Dev.
IR@Ocugen.com

Media Contact:
LaVoieHealthScience
Lisa DeScenza
ldescenza@lavoiehealthscience.com
+1 978-395-5970

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c6048f2f-29a9-4b24-8526-07d6e5371303

FAQ

Who is the new Senior Vice President at Ocugen?

John Paul (J.P.) Gabriel has been appointed as the Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Supply Chain at Ocugen.

What is the significance of J.P. Gabriel's appointment for Ocugen?

Gabriel's appointment is significant as it will enhance Ocugen's capabilities in U.S. manufacturing of the COVAXIN vaccine.

What experience does J.P. Gabriel bring to Ocugen?

J.P. Gabriel has over 25 years of experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, having held leadership roles at major companies like Pfizer and Sanofi.

What is COVAXIN and its relevance to Ocugen?

COVAXIN is a COVID-19 vaccine candidate co-developed by Ocugen, aimed at bolstering vaccine options in the U.S. market.