Sigilon Therapeutics Appoints Kavita Patel, M.D., to its Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sigilon Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing functional cures for patients with chronic diseases through its Shielded Living Therapeutics™ platform, today announced the appointment of Kavita Patel, M.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Patel, a practicing physician, has been a leading voice in health policy development and patient-centered care and delivery systems.

“As a recognized leader in cutting-edge healthcare innovation, Dr. Patel brings tremendous experience to the Board as we advance an unprecedented class of medicines to the clinic. Her appointment reinforces the promise of Sigilon’s Shielded Living Therapeutics platform to produce products that address the needs of patients with chronic diseases and to provide significant value to the broader healthcare system,” said Douglas Cole, M.D., Managing Partner at Flagship Pioneering and Chairman of the Board at Sigilon.

“I believe Sigilon’s approach to cell therapy has the potential to positively impact the lives of many people living with serious chronic diseases. I am honored to join the Board as the company makes the transition to clinical development,” Dr. Patel said.

Dr. Patel served in the Obama Administration as Director of Policy for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement in the White House. She played a critical role in both policy development and the evaluation of policy initiatives connected to health reform. Dr. Patel also served as a policy analyst and aide to the late Senator Edward Kennedy. As Deputy Staff Director on Health, she was part of the senior staff of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee under Senator Kennedy’s leadership. Her continued research in healthcare quality and community-based approaches to mental illness since that time have earned national recognition. She has also published numerous papers and book chapters on healthcare reform and health policy.

Dr. Patel is a Nonresident Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Previously, she served as the Managing Director of Clinical Transformation at the Center for Health Policy at Brookings and Vice President of Payer and Provider Strategy at Johns Hopkins Health System. Dr. Patel also serves on the Board of several organizations, including Dignity Healthcare and SSM Healthcare. She earned her M.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center and her MPH from the University of California, Los Angeles.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Patel to our distinguished Board of Directors during an important time in Sigilon’s evolution,” said Rogerio Vivaldi, M.D., President and CEO of Sigilon. “Her experience as an innovator on payer and provider issues gives her a valuable perspective on the imperative to develop approaches that combine a transformative impact on patients’ lives with a sustainable payer model, a major challenge for new therapeutic modalities. As we prepare to initiate clinical development of products emerging from our platform, Dr. Patel will provide important insights to help shape our development programs and market access strategies.”

About Sigilon Therapeutics

Sigilon Therapeutics is developing functional cures for chronic diseases through its Shielded Living Therapeutics™ platform. Sigilon’s therapeutics consist of novel human cells engineered to produce the crucial proteins, enzymes or factors needed by patients living with chronic diseases such as hemophilia, diabetes and lysosomal disorders. The engineered cells are protected by Sigilon’s Afibromer™ biomaterials matrix, which shields them from immune rejection and fibrosis. Sigilon was founded by Flagship Pioneering in conjunction with Daniel Anderson, Ph.D., and Robert Langer, Sc.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Contacts

Investor Contact
Glenn Reicin

Sigilon Therapeutics, Chief Financial Officer

646-696-4344

Media Contact
Stephanie Simon

Ten Bridge Communications

617-581-9333