Adverum Biotechnologies Appoints Star Seyedkazemi, Pharm.D. as Chief Development Officer
07 January 2022 - 8:05AM
Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADVM), a clinical-stage gene
therapy company targeting unmet medical needs in ocular and rare
diseases, today announced that Star Seyedkazemi, Pharm.D., joined
Adverum as the company’s chief development officer. Dr. Seyedkazemi
will serve as a member of Adverum’s executive committee and will
report to Laurent Fischer, M.D., president and chief executive
officer at Adverum Biotechnologies. Dr. Seyedkazemi will provide
leadership for the company’s development programs, including global
clinical operations, program strategy and project management.
“I am pleased to welcome Star to Adverum as we advance ADVM-022,
our lead clinical program utilizing our proprietary vector capsid
AAV.7m8, for the treatment of wet age-related macular
degeneration,” stated Dr. Laurent Fischer, president and chief
executive officer at Adverum Biotechnologies. “Dr. Seyedkazemi
brings a wealth of experience in clinical development, clinical
operations and program management of small molecules and biologics
at biotechnology and large pharmaceutical companies, which will
prove to be tremendously important as we advance ADVM-022 to a
Phase II trial and toward future registrational studies.”
“I am thrilled to join the Adverum as we work to bring ADVM-022
to the five million patients suffering from wet AMD worldwide,”
stated Star Seyedkazemi, Pharm.D., chief development officer of
Adverum Biotechnologies. “The ability to dose ADVM-022 as a single,
in-office intravitreal injection, rather than the current standard
of care requiring frequent intravitreal injections, has the
potential to fundamentally shift the treatment paradigm for
patients suffering from wet AMD globally. I look forward to
leveraging my clinical research and development experience to help
the team achieve its goals of advancing the development of ADVM-022
and other exciting pipeline projects that bring potentially
transformational treatments to patients.”
Dr. Star Seyedkazemi most recently served as vice president,
portfolio management for research and development at Pliant
Therapeutics. Before joining Pliant, Dr. Seyedkazemi served as
associate vice president clinical development at Allergan (acquired
by AbbVie in May 2020), where she was responsible for clinical and
global program leadership for the development of cenicriviroc for
the treatment of liver fibrosis associated with nonalcoholic
steatohepatitis (NASH). Dr. Seyedkazemi has more than 16 years of
pharmaceutical industry experience in corporate leadership, global
drug development program leadership, clinical development and
operations, global and U.S. medical affairs, and program management
across multiple therapeutics areas, including fibrosis, NASH,
hepatitis C and HIV at Allergan, Tobira Therapeutics (acquired by
Allergan in November 2016), Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson
and Abbott Laboratories, preceded by seven years in HIV clinical
care and research.
Dr. Seyedkazemi received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from
Florida Atlantic University and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Nova
Southeastern University, where she also completed a HIV/Infectious
Disease residency.
Inducement Grant
On January 6, 2021, the company granted Dr. Seyedkazemi a stock
option to purchase 425,000 shares of Adverum’s common stock
pursuant to the inducement grant exception under Nasdaq Rule
5635(c)(4), as an inducement that is material to her entering into
employment with Adverum. The option has a per-share exercise price
equal to the closing sales price of Adverum’s common stock on the
Nasdaq Stock Market on the grant date, and will vest over four
years, subject to her continued service with Adverum.
About Adverum Biotechnologies
Adverum Biotechnologies (Nasdaq: ADVM) is a clinical-stage gene
therapy company targeting unmet medical needs in serious ocular and
rare diseases. Adverum is evaluating its novel gene therapy
candidate, ADVM-022, as a one-time, intravitreal injection for the
treatment of patients with neovascular or wet age-related macular
degeneration (wet AMD). For more information, please
visit www.adverum.com.
Forward-looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding the events
or results that may occur in the future are “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include but are not limited to
statements regarding the role in which Dr. Seyedkazemi will serve
and the benefits that she is expected to bring to Adverum. Actual
results could differ materially from those anticipated in such
forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and
uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties facing Adverum are described
more fully in Adverum’s Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 4,
2021, under the heading “Risk Factors.” All forward-looking
statements contained in this press release speak only as of the
date on which they were made. Adverum undertakes no obligation to
update such statements to reflect events that occur or
circumstances that exist after the date on which they were
made.
Inquiries
Anand ReddiVice President, Head of Corporate Strategy and
External Affairs & Engagement Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc.T:
650-649-1358
Or
Laurence WattsGilmartin GroupT: 619-916-7620E:
laurence@gilmartinir.com
Source: Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc.
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