PepGen Announces New Additions to Leadership Team and Board of Directors
New appointments follow PepGen's recent $112.5 million crossover financing to advance therapies for neuromuscular diseases
PepGen is rapidly advancing lead programs in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 1 to the clinic and growing its team in Boston, MA.
BOSTON, Aug. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PepGen, Inc., a company advancing next-generation oligonucleotide therapies for neuromuscular diseases, today announced that Heidi Henson will join PepGen's Board of Directors. The company also announced the promotion of Jane Larkindale, Ph.D., to Vice President of Clinical Science.
"As we continue to evolve our team of PepGen Pioneers, I am delighted to announce the promotion of Jane Larkindale, who has dedicated her career to neuromuscular diseases working with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance, and Critical Path Institute, to VP of Clinical Science," said James McArthur, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of PepGen. "Jane has made invaluable contributions in the advancement of our clinical leads for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 1. I am also thrilled to announce the appointment of Heidi Henson, a finance leader bringing decades of experience in the biotech sector, to our Board of Directors. We are grateful to have such strong talent in place as our team continues to grow and we advance our efforts to significantly improve the lives of people with neuromuscular diseases."
"PepGen is led by a strong executive team and Board of Directors, all of whom share an unwavering dedication to advancing novel and transformative solutions for neuromuscular diseases," added Ramin Farzaneh-Far, M.D., PepGen's Acting Chief Medical Officer and Executive Chairman of the Board. "With the addition of Heidi to the Board and Jane's promotion to VP, that team – and commitment – has been further strengthened. We look forward to working closely with Jane and Heidi as we continue to progress toward clinical trials for our lead programs."
Dr. Jane Larkindale has dedicated the past 15 years of her career to accelerating the development of therapies for rare diseases, with a focus on neuromuscular diseases. She initially joined PepGen as Senior Director of Clinical Science in April 2021. Dr. Larkindale has launched and run international consortia and other programs that support community and regulatory acceptance of drug development tools, such as databases, disease models, biomarkers and outcome measures. Through her career at several non-profit groups in the neuromuscular disease space, she has worked with large numbers of academic and industry scientists to translate research from discovery through to clinical development and to the market. She is a molecular biologist by training, having completed her D.Phil. (Ph.D.) in the Department of Plant Sciences at Oxford University, which she attended as a Rhodes Scholar.
Dr. Larkindale commented, "Despite years of research and a number of clinical trials, people diagnosed with neuromuscular diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy still require better treatment options. I'm looking forward to my continued future at PepGen as we work to fill this significant unmet need and make strides to align with the communities who are impacted by these diseases."
Heidi Henson has served as the Chief Financial Officer of Pardes Biosciences, Inc. since January 2021 and was previously an advisor to Pardes. She has over 25 years of financial operations experience with both public and private companies. She previously held financial and operational leadership roles at other biotechnology companies including Imbria Pharmaceuticals, Kura Oncology (NASDAQ:KURA), Wellspring Biosciences, Inc. (as well as its parent company Araxes Pharma LLC), and Intellikine Inc., which was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Ms. Henson has served as an independent financial consultant for many years assisting companies with various start-up activities for early-stage companies, SEC reporting and Sarbanes-Oxley implementation and compliance. Ms. Henson also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Cend Therapeutics. She began her career in auditing at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and received a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of San Diego.
Ms. Henson noted, "PepGen is rapidly advancing their therapeutics to the clinic to create a meaningful impact on the lives of people diagnosed with neuromuscular diseases. I am thrilled to join PepGen on the next phase of its journey as a member of the Board of Directors and look forward to supporting and guiding the team through future milestones and scientific discoveries."
About PepGen
PepGen, Inc. is a biotechnology company advancing next-generation oligonucleotide therapies for neuromuscular and neurologic diseases. PepGen's proprietary Enhanced Delivery Oligonucleotides (EDOs) are designed to safely and effectively target the underlying causes of rare genetic diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). In preclinical studies, PepGen's enhanced delivery peptides demonstrated success in cell penetration and delivery of therapeutic candidates to multiple tissue types, including cardiac tissue. PepGen was founded by leading neurology researchers in Oxford, UK and is backed by a strong syndicate of investors including RA Capital Management, Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI), and others. The company is headquartered in Boston, Mass. For more information, visit www.pepgen.com or follow PepGen on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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