EMERYVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Metagenomi, a gene editing company with a versatile portfolio of next-generation CRISPR tools, today announced the addition of Willard H. Dere, M.D., to the company’s board of directors. Dr. Dere brings to Metagenomi more than 25 years of extensive experience in clinical development, regulatory processes, and drug safety, from his time in both academia and the biopharmaceutical industry.

“Willard is widely respected for the role he has played in the clinical development of several medicines and for his leadership at the University of Utah in the fields of translational medicine and functional genomics,” said Brian C. Thomas, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Metagenomi. “His insights, guidance, and experience will be invaluable as we continue to expand the capabilities of our proprietary Metagenomi technology platform to advance its therapeutic applications.”

“Gene editing has the promise of having a considerable impact on human health in the upcoming years and has great potential to treat a wide variety of diseases,” said Dr. Dere. “Metagenomi’s unique approach to discovering novel gene editing systems by mining the world’s microbial environment has resulted in several promising next-generation gene editing tools. I look forward to working closely with the team at Metagenomi and supporting the company as it translates these technologies to create positive impact for patients.”

Dr. Dere is Professor of Internal Medicine and Associate Vice President for Research at the University of Utah Health Sciences. He also serves as co-director of The Center for Genomic Medicine and Co-Director of the Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science. Before joining the University of Utah, Dr. Dere was Senior Vice President, Global Development at Amgen, where he led the development of multiple medicines, including denosumab, romiplostim, panitumumab, and cinacalcet. Prior to Amgen, he held various roles at Eli Lilly in the areas of clinical pharmacology, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs. Dr. Dere holds a B.A. and M.D. from the University of California, Davis and completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Utah and at the University of California, San Francisco.

About Metagenomi

Metagenomi is a gene editing company committed to developing potentially curative therapeutics by leveraging a proprietary toolbox of next-generation gene editing systems to accurately edit DNA where current technologies cannot. Our metagenomics-powered discovery platform and analytical expertise reveal novel cellular machinery sourced from otherwise unknown organisms. We adapt and forge these naturally evolved systems into powerful therapeutic tools that can be leveraged by partners and fuel our own pipeline of novel medicines. Our goal is to revolutionize gene editing for the benefit of patients around the world. For more information, please visit https://metagenomi.co/.

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