Voyager Therapeutics Appoints Michael Higgins To Board Of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Voyager Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing life-changing treatments for severe diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), today announced the appointment of Michael Higgins to its board of directors. Mr. Higgins brings more than 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry.

“Michael’s global experience across the biopharmaceutical industry, in general management and financial leadership positions, will be invaluable as Voyager evolves and advances its pipeline of gene therapies for patients with severe CNS diseases.”

“The Voyager team is delighted to welcome Michael to our board of directors,” said Steven Paul, M.D., president and CEO of Voyager Therapeutics. “Michael’s global experience across the biopharmaceutical industry, in general management and financial leadership positions, will be invaluable as Voyager evolves and advances its pipeline of gene therapies for patients with severe CNS diseases.”

Mr. Higgins is an experienced biotechnology executive and is currently an entrepreneur-in-residence at Polaris Partners. Previously, he served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from 2003 through 2014. In 2014, Mr. Higgins was named the Boston Business Journal’s CFO of the Year. Mr. Higgins worked at Genzyme Corporation from 1997 through 2003 in a variety of leadership roles, including vice president of corporate finance and vice president of business development. While at Genzyme, he was involved with multiple business units, including Cell Therapy, Gene Therapy and Orphan Diseases. Mr. Higgins also served as chief financial officer of Procept, Inc. from 1992 to 1997. Mr. Higgins began his pharmaceutical career as a sales representative for Schering-Plough Corporation. Mr. Higgins is currently a board member of Genocea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNCA), Pulmatrix, Inc. (Nasdaq: PULM) and Private Equity Access Fund, II. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and holds a master’s in business administration from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

“I am very impressed with the Voyager team and their product programs,” said Michael Higgins. “They are well positioned to be a leader in the field of gene therapy and provide important therapies for patients with severe CNS diseases.”

About Voyager Therapeutics

Voyager Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing life-changing treatments for severe diseases of the central nervous system. Voyager is committed to advancing the field of AAV (adeno-associated virus) gene therapy through innovation and investment in vector engineering and optimization, manufacturing and dosing and delivery techniques. The company’s pipeline is focused on severe CNS diseases in need of effective new therapies, including advanced Parkinson’s disease, a monogenic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Friedreich’s ataxia, and Huntington’s disease. Voyager has broad strategic collaborations with Genzyme Corporation, a Sanofi company, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Founded by scientific and clinical leaders in the fields of AAV gene therapy, expressed RNA interference and neuroscience, Voyager Therapeutics was launched in 2014 with funding from leading life sciences investor Third Rock Ventures, and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.voyagertherapeutics.com. Follow Voyager on LinkedIn.