CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beam Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: BEAM), a biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines through base editing, today announced that John Maraganore, Ph.D., founding chief executive officer and director of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, has joined the company’s board of directors.
“John is a pioneer and leader in the biopharma community and has been responsible for building some of the most successful biotech companies and patient-centric drug development programs of our time. He brings tremendous experience leading companies from drug discovery stages through commercialization, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the Beam board of directors,” said John Evans, chief executive officer of Beam Therapeutics. “2021 has been a significant year for Beam, including the recent clearance of our Investigational New Drug application for BEAM-101, enabling our transition to a clinical-stage organization. Along with the rest of the board, I look forward to partnering with John as we continue building the leading company in the field of precision genetic medicines.”
“Beam has positioned itself as a true innovator in the field of gene editing, which has the potential to change both the treatment approach and the course of disease for patients with a wide range of severe genetically-driven diseases,” said Dr. Maraganore. “The company is at an important inflection point as it prepares to advance the first-ever base editor into clinical development for people with sickle cell disease. I look forward to contributing to these efforts and working with the great team at Beam as they pursue their goal of bringing important new gene editing medicines to patients.”
Dr. Maraganore has served as the founding CEO and a director of Alnylam since 2002, where he has built and led the company from early platform research on RNA interference through global approval and commercialization of the first three RNAi medicines including ONPATTRO®, GIVLAARI®, and OXLUMO®. Prior to Alnylam, Dr. Maraganore served as an officer and a member of the management team for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., most recently as senior vice president, strategic product development where he was responsible for the company’s product franchises in oncology, and cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases. Before Millennium, he served as director of molecular biology and director of market and business development at Biogen, Inc. At Biogen, Dr. Maraganore invented and led the discovery and development of ANGIOMAX® (bivalirudin) for injection, formerly HIRULOG™ and currently marketed by The Medicines Company. Prior to Biogen, Dr. Maraganore was a scientist at ZymoGenetics, Inc., and the Upjohn Company. Dr. Maraganore received his M.S. and Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Chicago. He is a member of the board of Agios Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), where he was Chair from 2017-2019.
About Beam Therapeutics
Beam Therapeutics (Nasdaq: BEAM) is a biotechnology company committed to establishing the leading, fully integrated platform for precision genetic medicines. To achieve this vision, Beam has assembled a platform that includes a suite of gene editing and delivery technologies and is in the process of building internal manufacturing capabilities. Beam’s suite of gene editing technologies is anchored by base editing, a proprietary technology that enables precise, predictable and efficient single base changes, at targeted genomic sequences, without making double-stranded breaks in the DNA. This enables a wide range of potential therapeutic editing strategies that Beam is using to advance a diversified portfolio of base editing programs. Beam is a values-driven organization committed to its people, cutting-edge science, and a vision of providing life-long cures to patients suffering from serious diseases.
