SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - April 02, 2015) - Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of grievous blood-based disorders, today announced the appointments of Deval L. Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts, and Mark L. Perry, a former executive officer of Gilead Sciences, Inc., to the Company’s board of directors.
Mr. Patrick is an experienced business and government leader with a record of success in solving complex problems, making strategic investments, managing crises and building teams locally, nationally and internationally. He served as the governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015, during which time he oversaw a more than $36 billion balanced budget and over 44,000 employees. As governor, Mr. Patrick is credited with leading Massachusetts through global economic collapse, weather and water emergencies, and a terrorist attack to top national rankings in job growth, student achievement, health care coverage, economic competitiveness and entrepreneurial activity, among other categories. Prior to his tenure in government, Mr. Patrick served as the chief legal officer and sat on the senior most management teams at the Coca-Cola Company and Texaco, two Fortune 50 companies. He received a bachelor’s degree with concentration in English and American literature from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Mr. Perry brings more than 30 years of experience serving in professional and management positions in the biotechnology industry. He is currently an independent consultant and board member of various companies, following a year as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Third Rock Ventures. From 2007 to 2011, Mr. Perry held the position of president and chief executive officer of Aerovance, a biotechnology company spun out of Bayer Corporation. Prior to joining Aerovance, he was the senior business advisor for Gilead Sciences, and was an executive officer of Gilead from 1994 to 2004, serving in a variety of capacities, including general counsel, chief financial officer and executive vice president of operations. He also spent 13 years with Cooley LLP, serving as a partner from 1987 to 1994. Mr. Perry received his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and his J.D. from the University of California, Davis.
“We are pleased to add individuals with such impressive pedigrees as Deval and Mark to our board of directors. They each bring a unique level of experience and insight to GBT that will be critical as we strive to achieve our vision of revolutionizing the treatment of grievous, non-malignant blood-based conditions,” said Ted W. Love, M.D., chief executive officer of GBT.
About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the beta-chain of hemoglobin, leading to formation of abnormal hemoglobin known as sickle hemoglobin, or HbS. In its deoxygenated state, HbS is a propensity to polymerize, or bind together into long, rigid rods within a red blood cell (RBC). This polymerization causes RBCs to assume a sickled shape and to become inflexible, which can cause blockage in small blood vessels. Beginning in childhood, SCD patients suffer unpredictable and recurrent episodes or crises of severe pain due to blocked blood flow to organs, which often lead to psychosocial and physical disabilities. This blocked blood flow, combined with hemolytic anemia (the destruction of RBCs), can eventually lead to multi-organ damage and early death.
About Global Blood Therapeutics
Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing novel, small molecule therapeutics to treat grievous blood-based disorders. GBT is developing its initial product candidate, GBT440, as an oral, once-daily therapy for sickle cell disease, or SCD, and is currently evaluating GBT440 in both healthy subjects and SCD patients in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. In addition to GBT440 for the treatment of SCD, GBT is engaged in research and development activities targeted toward hypoxemic pulmonary disorders and hereditary angioedema, or HAE.
To learn more, please visit: www.globalbloodtx.com.
Contact Information:
Stephanie Diaz
(investors)
Vida Strategic Partners
415-675-7401
Email Contact
Tim Brons
(media)
Vida Strategic Partners
415-675-7402
Email Contact
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