CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Acceleron Pharma Inc. (Nasdaq:XLRN), a leading biopharmaceutical company
in the discovery and development of TGF-beta superfamily therapeutics to
treat serious and rare diseases, announced today that company co-founder
Tom Maniatis, PhD, is retiring from his position on its Board of
Directors and will continue to serve the organization in an advisory
capacity as Director Emeritus.
“Tom co-founded Acceleron in 2003 and has been on the Board from day
one,” said Francois Nader, MD, Chairman of Acceleron Pharma. “During
this period, Tom’s unparalleled scientific instincts and acumen were
instrumental in turning a belief in the promise of a fundamental
biological pathway into a company on the verge of delivering its first
product to patients. We can’t thank Tom enough for all he has done for
Acceleron.”
Dr. Maniatis is a co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Scientific
Director of the New York Genome Center, the Isidore Edelman Professor of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at the Vagelos College of
Physicians and Surgeons, and a member of the Zuckerman Mind Brain &
Behavior Institute at Columbia University. With multiple prestigious
scientific honors to his name, he is also a pioneer in the biotechnology
industry, having co-founded Genetics Institute in 1980, ProScript in
1994, and Kallyope Pharma in 2016.
“Tom truly is a living legend in the life sciences,” said Habib Dable,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Acceleron. “It’s inconceivable
that Acceleron would be what it is today without his tremendous
contributions, and so, while I wish him well as he retires from the
Board, I’m delighted that we’ll continue to benefit from his insights as
a scientific advisor to Acceleron.”
“It’s been a privilege to be a part of Acceleron from the beginning,
helping the company realize the potential of the TGF-beta superfamily in
the treatment of blood, musculoskeletal, and fibrotic diseases,” said
Dr. Maniatis. “I am especially pleased with the development of
luspatercept for the treatment of beta-thalassemia, a longstanding
interest of mine since my laboratory cloned and characterized the human
beta-globin gene cluster and characterized beta-thalassemia mutations
nearly 40 years ago. I look forward to continuing my association with
Acceleron in my new role, and focusing on science.”
Luspatercept is an investigational therapy that is not approved for any
use in any country.
About Luspatercept
Luspatercept is a first-in-class erythroid maturation agent that
regulates late-stage red blood cell maturation. Acceleron
and Celgene are jointly developing luspatercept as part of a global
collaboration. A Phase 3 trial (COMMANDS) in ESA-naïve, lower-risk MDS
patients, the BEYOND Phase 2 trial in non-transfusion-dependent
beta-thalassemia, and a Phase 2 trial in myelofibrosis are ongoing. For
more information, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Acceleron
Acceleron is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the
discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics to treat
serious and rare diseases. The Company’s leadership in the understanding
of TGF-beta superfamily biology and protein engineering generates
innovative compounds that engage the body’s ability to regulate cellular
growth and repair.
Acceleron focuses its research and development efforts in hematologic,
neuromuscular, and pulmonary diseases. In hematology, the Company and
its global collaboration partner, Celgene, are developing luspatercept
for the treatment of chronic anemia in myelodysplastic syndromes,
beta-thalassemia, and myelofibrosis. Acceleron is also advancing its
neuromuscular program with ACE-083, a locally-acting Myostatin+ agent in
Phase 2 development in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy and
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and is conducting a Phase 2 pulmonary
program with sotatercept in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
For more information, please visit www.acceleronpharma.com.
Follow Acceleron on social media: @AcceleronPharma
and LinkedIn.
Contacts
Acceleron Pharma Inc.
Investors:
Todd James, IRC, (617)
649-9393
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate
Communications
Media:
Matt Fearer, (617) 301-9557
Director, Corporate
Communications