RICHMOND, Calif., July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. , announced today the addition of Michael Gilman, Ph.D., to the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Gilman is currently President and CEO of Stromedix, Inc. and most recently served as Executive Vice President of Research at Biogen Idec, Inc.
“Mike Gilman has a distinguished background in both academic and industry research, and we are excited that he has joined Sangamo’s SAB,” stated Philip Gregory, D. Phil., Sangamo’s vice president of research. “His scientific expertise and industry insight will be particularly valuable as we advance our ZFP Therapeutic programs through the clinical development process.”
“I am pleased to join Sangamo’s SAB,” said Dr. Gilman. “Sangamo has a powerful gene regulation and gene modification technology platform and the company is making great progress in applying it to both therapeutic and enabling technology applications. This is an exciting period in the company’s maturation as programs move into Phase 2 testing and Sangamo makes critical decisions about advancing its pipeline of preclinical programs into clinical development. I look forward to aiding in the development of ZFP Therapeutics and to their ultimate success in the clinic.”
During his six-year tenure at Biogen Idec, Dr. Gilman managed discovery research including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and cancer, resulting in the advancement of ten compounds into later-stage preclinical development. Prior to joining Biogen Idec, Dr. Gilman served as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he was responsible for drug discovery activities to develop novel gene- and cell-regulation technologies.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Gilman was a principal investigator at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and holds an S.B. in Life Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In addition to Dr. Gilman, Sangamo’s SAB is comprised of a distinguished group of world-renown research and clinical scientists including: Carl Pabo, Ph.D., Chairman of the SAB, Visiting Professor in Systems Biology at the Harvard Medical School, and former Chief Scientific Officer of Sangamo; Judith Campisi, Ph.D., Head, Center for Research in Aging, Division of Life Sciences, Berkeley National Laboratory; Barrie Carter, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Targeted Genetics Corporation; Sir Aaron Klug, O.M., F.R.S., MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge U.K., Nobel Laureate, Chemistry, Past President, The Royal Society; Gabor M. Rubanyi, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Cardium Therapeutics, Inc.; and Kevin Struhl, Ph.D., David Wesley Gaiser Professor of Biological Chemistry, Harvard Medical School. For biographical information see http://www.sangamo.com/about/management.html .
About Sangamo
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. is focused on the research and development of novel DNA-binding proteins for therapeutic gene regulation and modification. The most advanced ZFP Therapeutic(TM) development programs are currently in Phase 1 clinical trials for evaluation of safety in patients with diabetic neuropathy and peripheral artery disease. Other therapeutic development programs are focused on macular degeneration, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, neuropathic pain, and infectious and monogenic diseases. Sangamo’s core competencies enable the engineering of a class of DNA-binding proteins known as zinc finger DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs). By engineering ZFPs that recognize a specific DNA sequence Sangamo has created ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TF(TM)) that can control gene expression and, consequently, cell function. Sangamo is also developing sequence-specific ZFP Nucleases (ZFN(TM)) for therapeutic gene modification as a treatment for a variety of monogenic diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, and for infectious diseases, such as HIV. Sangamo has established several Enabling Technology Agreements with companies to apply its ZFP Technology to enhance the production of protein pharmaceuticals. Research at Sangamo is partially funded by an Advanced Technology Program (ATP) grant awarded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). For more information about Sangamo, visit the company’s web site at www.sangamo.com .
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on Sangamo’s current expectations. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, references to the research and development of novel ZFP TFs and ZFNs, clinical trials and therapeutic applications of Sangamo’s ZFP technology platform. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including technological challenges, Sangamo’s ability to develop commercially viable products and technological developments by our competitors. See the company’s SEC filings, and in particular, the risk factors described in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its most recent 10-Q. Sangamo assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
CONTACT: Elizabeth Wolffe, Ph.D. of Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.,+1-510-970-6000, ext. 271, or ewolffe@sangamo.com; or Justin Jackson ofBurns McClellan, +1-212-213-0006, for Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
Web site: http://www.sangamo.com/
