Passage Bio Mourns the Sudden Passing of Chairman of the Board Tadataka Yamada, M.D.
Passage Bio (Nasdaq: PASG) expresses deep sorrow over the unexpected passing of founder and chairman, Dr. Tadataka Yamada, on August 3, 2021. Dr. Yamada contributed significantly to the company and the life sciences industry, serving as chairman since July 2017 and previously holding prestigious roles at Takeda and GlaxoSmithKline. His strategic insight shaped the company’s development of transformative genetic therapies for CNS disorders. Passage Bio aims to continue his legacy while maintaining a commitment to patients and innovation in gene therapy.
- Strong leadership and vision established by Dr. Yamada, which may positively influence company direction moving forward.
- The company has a strategic collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania's Gene Therapy Program, enhancing access to gene therapy innovations.
- The unexpected loss of Dr. Yamada may create uncertainty regarding the company's strategic vision and future leadership.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Passage Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: PASG), a clinical-stage genetic medicines company focused on developing transformative therapies for central nervous system disorders, acknowledges today with great sorrow that Tadataka (Tachi) Yamada, M.D., founder and chairman of the board for Passage Bio, passed away unexpectedly on August 3, 2021.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Tachi, a visionary leader in our field and co-founder of Passage Bio,” said Bruce Goldsmith, Ph.D., president and CEO, Passage Bio. “We are forever grateful for the vision, scientific experience, and strategic influence that he shared to establish our company. He has left a lasting legacy with his generous contribution to our industry, and specifically to Passage Bio and the patients we serve. We will continue to honor and build upon Tachi’s legacy. For me, Tachi was a truly passionate mentor and advisor who had a substantial impact on me. I consider it a unique privilege to have been able to partner with Tachi, and I profoundly will miss his counsel and friendship. On behalf of the board of directors and the team at Passage Bio, I offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends."
About Dr. Yamada
Dr. Yamada served as Chairman of Board for Passage Bio since July 2017. Prior to his passing, Dr. Yamada was also a Venture Partner at Frazier Healthcare Partners since 2015, where he focused on both creating companies and providing strategic guidance to existing portfolio companies. He also served on several public and private boards.
Dr. Yamada had a long and impactful career in the life sciences industry, having led R&D organizations for Takeda and GlaxoSmithKline. He also was a former president of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Health Program. Earlier in his career he was the chief of the division of Gastroenterology and the chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
About Passage Bio
At Passage Bio (Nasdaq: PASG), we are on a mission to provide life-transforming genetic medicines for patients with CNS diseases that replace their suffering with boundless possibility, all while building lasting relationships with the communities we serve. Based in Philadelphia, PA, our company has established a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with the renowned University of Pennsylvania’s Gene Therapy Program to conduct our discovery and IND-enabling preclinical work. This provides our team with enhanced access to a broad portfolio of gene therapy candidates and future gene therapy innovations that we then pair with our deep clinical, regulatory, manufacturing and commercial expertise to rapidly advance our robust pipeline of optimized gene therapies into clinical testing. As we work with speed and tenacity, we are always mindful of patients who may be able to benefit from our therapies. More information is available at www.passagebio.com.
For further information, please contact:
Investors:
Stuart Henderson
Passage Bio
267.866.0114
shenderson@passagebio.com
Media:
Gwen Fisher
Passage Bio
215.407.1548
gfisher@passagebio.com
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