Rocket Pharmaceuticals Appoints Fady Malik, M.D., Ph.D., to Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCKT) has appointed Fady Malik, M.D., Ph.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Malik, with nearly 25 years of experience as a cardiovascular physician-scientist and biopharmaceutical executive, will serve as an independent non-executive director. CEO Gaurav Shah emphasized Dr. Malik's expertise in R&D and leadership in bringing medicines from research to clinical application, particularly in cardiology. Rocket is advancing its clinical pipeline for rare childhood disorders, including Danon Disease, and aims for agency alignment on its Phase 2 clinical study.

Positive

• Appointment of Fady Malik, a highly experienced biopharmaceutical executive, to the Board of Directors.
• Dr. Malik's expertise in cardiology is expected to enhance Rocket's R&D efforts.
• Focus on advancing the Phase 2 clinical study for Danon Disease, indicating progress in the pipeline.

Negative

• No immediate negative implications identified in the press release.

CRANBURY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCKT), a clinical-stage company advancing an integrated and sustainable pipeline of genetic therapies for rare childhood disorders, today announces the appointment of Fady Malik, M.D., Ph.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Malik brings nearly 25 years of experience as an internationally recognized cardiovascular physician-scientist and highly successful biopharmaceutical executive. He will serve as an independent non-executive director.

“Fady is a tremendous addition to our Board of Directors, especially at this exciting time as we seek agency alignment on a Phase 2, potentially registration-enabling clinical study for Danon Disease, and continue to build and expand our Wave 2 pipeline,” said Gaurav Shah, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Pharma. “Fady’s deep understanding of R&D with a focus on cardiology, hands on experience building and growing a biotech company and success bringing a medicine from the bench to patients, especially in cardiology, will be incredibly valuable as we work to deliver our world-class pipeline to patients with rare diseases such as Danon. I am thrilled to welcome Fady to the board and look forward to his valuable perspective and experience.”

Dr. Malik is Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Cytokinetics, a late-stage biopharmaceutical company, where he has worked in a variety of positions since he joined the founders to launch the company. At Cytokinetics, Dr. Malik has led R&D efforts resulting in multiple Investigational New Drug submissions, advancement of four programs to Phase 3, and the submission of the company’s first New Drug Application. Dr. Malik is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Cardiology Division of the University of California, San Francisco, where he has held an appointment since 2000. Until 2019, he was a practicing Interventional Cardiologist at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center for over 18 years.

“I am thrilled to join Rocket’s Board of Directors to work with the passionate and motivated leaders of this pioneering company seeking to advance the field of gene therapy as it might benefit patients,” said Dr. Malik. “I am particularly impressed with the Company’s robust and deep pipeline of clinical-stage programs in conditions of high unmet medical need, most lacking alternative treatments. I hope to contribute to Rocket’s goal of bringing these treatments to patients as quickly as possible.”

Dr. Malik is an inventor on more than 20 issued patents and has authored or co-authored over 60 publications appearing in prominent peer-reviewed journals. He received a B.S. from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. and M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco.

About Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCKT) is advancing an integrated and sustainable pipeline of genetic therapies that correct the root cause of complex and rare childhood disorders. The Company’s platform-agnostic approach enables it to design the best therapy for each indication, creating potentially transformative options for patients afflicted with rare genetic diseases. Rocket's clinical programs using lentiviral vector (LVV)-based gene therapy are for the treatment of Fanconi Anemia (FA), a difficult to treat genetic disease that leads to bone marrow failure and potentially cancer, Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I (LAD-I), a severe pediatric genetic disorder that causes recurrent and life-threatening infections which are frequently fatal, and Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD), a rare, monogenic red blood cell disorder resulting in increased red cell destruction and mild to life-threatening anemia. Rocket’s first clinical program using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy is for Danon Disease, a devastating, pediatric heart failure condition. For more information about Rocket, please visit www.rocketpharma.com.

Rocket Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Various statements in this release concerning Rocket’s future expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation, Rocket’s expectations regarding its guidance for 2022 in light of COVID-19, the safety and effectiveness of product candidates that Rocket is developing to treat Fanconi Anemia (FA), Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I (LAD-I), Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD), and Danon Disease, the expected timing and data readouts of Rocket’s ongoing and planned clinical trials, Rocket’s plans for the advancement of its Danon Disease program following the lifting of the FDA’s clinical hold and the safety, effectiveness and timing of related pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, may constitute forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws and are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and assumptions. You should not place reliance on these forward-looking statements, which often include words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "will give," "estimate," "seek," "will," "may," "suggest" or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of those terms. Although Rocket believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, Rocket cannot guarantee such outcomes. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including, without limitation, Rocket’s ability to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on its business operations and take steps to ensure the safety of patients, families and employees, the interest from patients and families for participation in each of Rocket’s ongoing trials, our expectations regarding the delays and impact of COVID-19 on clinical sites, patient enrollment, trial timelines and data readouts, our expectations regarding our drug supply for our ongoing and anticipated trials, actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials of its product candidates, Rocket’s dependence on third parties for development, manufacture, marketing, sales and distribution of product candidates, the outcome of litigation, and unexpected expenditures, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Rocket’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, filed November 5, 2021 with the SEC. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All such statements speak only as of the date made, and Rocket undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220314005237/en/

Media

Kevin Giordano

Director, Corporate Communications

kgiordano@rocketpharma.com

Investors

Jessie Yeung, M.B.A.

Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Finance

investors@rocketpharma.com

Source: Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

FAQ

What position has Fady Malik been appointed to at Rocket Pharmaceuticals?

Fady Malik has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Rocket Pharmaceuticals as an independent non-executive director.

What is the significance of Dr. Malik's appointment for Rocket Pharmaceuticals?

Dr. Malik's extensive experience in biopharmaceuticals and R&D is expected to strengthen Rocket's initiatives in gene therapy for rare diseases.

What clinical study is Rocket Pharmaceuticals currently focusing on?

Rocket Pharmaceuticals is focusing on a Phase 2, potentially registration-enabling clinical study for Danon Disease.

How does Dr. Malik's experience benefit Rocket Pharmaceuticals?

Dr. Malik's background in cardiology and successful track record in advancing biopharmaceuticals will be valuable for Rocket's clinical programs.

What areas of expertise does Fady Malik bring to Rocket Pharmaceuticals?

Fady Malik brings expertise in cardiovascular medicine, R&D leadership, and experience in advancing clinical trials and drug applications.