Regel Therapeutics Appoints Stephen J. Farr as New Chief Executive Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Regel Therapeutics appointed Dr. Stephen J. Farr as the new CEO. His tenure starts on June 20, 2024. Dr. Farr previously led Zogenix, achieving significant milestones, including the approval of FINTEPLA in multiple regions. With extensive experience in the biotech sector, Dr. Farr is expected to guide Regel's focus on gene regulation and patient outcomes. He has held leadership roles at Aradigm Corp and academic positions at Cardiff University. Dr. Farr is also involved with Mahzi Therapeutics, Ataraxia Therapeutics, and previously held positions at Tevard Biosciences and SteadyMed.

Positive

• Appointment of experienced CEO, Dr. Stephen J. Farr, bringing expertise in rare disease drug development.
• Dr. Farr’s previous success with FINTEPLA's approval across key markets.
• Dr. Farr's leadership experience in high-level positions at Zogenix and Aradigm Corp.
• Dr. Farr's connections and understanding of rare disease communities.
• Regel Therapeutics' focus on pioneering cell-specific gene control for genetic disorders.

Negative

• Potential challenges related to transitioning leadership and integrating Dr. Farr’s vision with Regel's current strategies.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and BERKELEY, Calif., June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Regel Therapeutics, a gene regulation company, announced that Stephen J. Farr, PhD, begins today as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Dr. Farr served as President and CEO of Zogenix from 2015 until its acquisition by UCB in 2022. He transformed Zogenix into a leading rare disease company, highlighted by the approval of FINTEPLA in the US, Europe and Japan. Dr. Farr initially served as Zogenix's President and Chief Operating Officer since its founding in 2006. Previously, Dr. Farr was Sr. Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Aradigm Corp. From 1986 to 1995, Dr. Farr held tenured academic positions at Cardiff University, United Kingdom, concentrating in advanced drug delivery and biopharmaceutics.

"We are excited to have Steve lead Regel Therapeutics and believe that his vision and experience will build a strong team focused on patient outcomes," said Dr Megan McGill, Regel's interim CEO. Orrin Devinsky, managing partner of PhiFund, which funded Regel's seed round, added, "Steve Farr is among the most respected leaders in biotech, he has the unique ability to understand and connect with rare disease communities and drive drug development to meet patient needs. We have the utmost confidence in Steve and look forward to the next chapters in Regel's future."

"I am thrilled to join Regel, a company that has pioneered cell-specific gene control," said Dr. Farr. "Regel has a powerful yet elegant scientific approach to cure genetic disorders that lack disease modifying therapies. The talented and passionate team have made key scientific innovations to regulate gene expression to restore normal cellular functions. Regel's pipeline includes proprietary programs as well as a research collaboration with Sarepta Therapeutics."

Dr. Farr is on the board of directors of Mahzi Therapeutics, a preclinical company focused on developing treatments for under-served rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. He is also co-founder and CEO of Ataraxia Therapeutics, a seed-stage company discovering small molecule therapeutics for a novel CNS target. Previously, he was a board member at Tevard Biosciences, a preclinical company developing tRNA based therapeutics to treat rare genetic diseases and director at SteadyMed, Inc (NASDAQ: STDY) until its acquisition by United Therapeutics.

About Regel Therapeutics

Regel's T3 platform combines a deactivated CRISPR system to bind precise regions of DNA with proprietary regulatory elements to activate or repress gene expression in highly specific cell populations. In multiple animal models of genetic diseases, this has produced efficient and permanent restoration of normal gene expression exclusively in disease-affected cells. Regel is poised to become first-in-class therapeutic intervention to transform the lives of patients with severe genetic diseases. Regel operates in both Berkeley, CA and in Cambridge, MA. For more information, see www.regeltherapeutics.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/regel-therapeutics-appoints-stephen-j-farr-as-new-chief-executive-officer-302176097.html

SOURCE Regel Therapeutics Inc.

FAQ

Who is the new CEO of Regel Therapeutics as of June 20, 2024?

Dr. Stephen J. Farr has been appointed as the new CEO of Regel Therapeutics starting June 20, 2024.

What previous roles did Dr. Stephen J. Farr hold before joining Regel Therapeutics?

Dr. Farr was the President and CEO of Zogenix and held leadership roles at Aradigm Corp and Cardiff University.

What are some notable achievements of Dr. Stephen J. Farr in his previous position?

Dr. Farr led the approval of FINTEPLA in the US, Europe, and Japan during his tenure at Zogenix.

How does Regel Therapeutics plan to leverage Dr. Stephen J. Farr's experience?

Regel plans to utilize Dr. Farr's expertise in rare disease drug development and his ability to connect with rare disease communities to drive their gene regulation initiatives.

What companies is Dr. Stephen J. Farr currently associated with besides Regel Therapeutics?

Dr. Farr is on the board of Mahzi Therapeutics, co-founder and CEO of Ataraxia Therapeutics, and held previous roles at Tevard Biosciences and SteadyMed.