Commercial team preparing for potential gene therapy launches
BOSTON and LONDON, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orchard Therapeutics, a leading commercial-stage biotech company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with rare diseases through innovative gene therapies, today announced two additions to its global commercial leadership team, appointing Robin Kenselaar as senior vice president and general manager, EMEA commercial operations, and Brad Mathis as vice president, U.S. commercial operations. These two key appointments serve to build Orchard’s initial commercial infrastructure across North America and EMEA prior to the Company’s first three potential product launches. Mr. Kenselaar and Mr. Mathis will report to Jason Meyenburg, chief commercial officer.
“We are thrilled to welcome Robin and Brad to the Orchard team, with their decades of experience and proven success leading international and domestic commercial operations for companies targeting rare diseases,” said Jason Meyenburg. “With three submissions for product approvals anticipated over the next three years and several additional therapies in development, the recent expansion of our commercial leadership team marks an important milestone as we prepare for the potential launches of these late-stage gene therapies, focusing especially on market access preparations and further development of patient diagnosis pathways.”
Robin Kenselaar joins Orchard after almost 15 years at Sanofi Genzyme, where he built and led commercial operations throughout Europe for therapies addressing unmet needs such as rare genetic diseases, oncology and immunology. During his tenure at Genzyme, Mr. Kenselaar served in various commercial leadership roles, most recently as head of Europe, and previously held positions as head of the EMEA region, vice president of commercial operations and business unit director, rare diseases. He has demonstrated consistent success working with key stakeholders to secure registration and expedited access to therapy and led the launches for a number of important therapies throughout Europe. Mr. Kenselaar holds a master’s of business administration from Nyenrode Business University (Netherlands).
Brad Mathis brings extensive global and domestic experience in product commercialization and launches, as well as pharmaceutical sales and marketing, with a focus on rare diseases. Mr. Mathis was most recently vice president, head of U.S. commercial operations at Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he helped to prepare for the launch of a therapeutic for Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) disease. Prior to Sucampo, he spent a decade with Alexion Pharmaceuticals serving in various global and domestic commercial leadership positions, which culminated in his role as executive director of U.S. sales. He has also held commercial leadership positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Biogen. Mr. Mathis holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from Texas Tech University.
About Orchard
Orchard Therapeutics is a fully integrated commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with serious and life-threatening rare diseases through innovative gene therapies.
Orchard’s portfolio of autologous ex vivo gene therapies includes Strimvelis, the first autologous ex vivo gene therapy approved by the European Medicines Agency for adenosine deaminase severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID). Additional programs for primary immune deficiencies, neurometabolic disorders and hemoglobinopathies include three advanced registrational studies for ADA-SCID, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS), clinical programs for X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) and transfusion dependent beta-thalassemia (TDBT), as well as an extensive preclinical pipeline.
Orchard currently has offices in the U.K. and the U.S., including London, San Francisco and Boston.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “projects,” “anticipates,” and “future” or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include express or implied statements relating to, among other things, Orchard’s expectations regarding timing of regulatory submissions for approval of its product candidates, the likelihood of approval of such product candidates by the applicable regulatory authorities, and Orchard’s ability to commercialize such product candidates, if approved, in North America and the EMEA region. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Orchard’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the delay of any of Orchard’s regulatory submissions, the failure to obtain marketing approval from the applicable regulatory authorities for any of Orchard’s product candidates, the receipt of restricted marketing approvals, or delays in Orchard’s ability to commercialize its product candidates, if approved. Orchard undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by Orchard, see the disclosure contained in Orchard’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts
Corporate contact
Katie Payne
Orchard Therapeutics
+1 202-669-6786
katie.payne@orchard-tx.com
Media contact
Allison Blum, Ph.D.
LifeSci Public Relations
+1 516-655-0842
Allison@lifescipublicrelations.com