Strengthens management team with seasoned regulatory expert to support pipeline of gene therapies for the treatment of cancer and diabetes, including two clinical trials in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and one in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Genprex, Inc. ("Genprex" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes, today announced the appointment of Suzanne Thornton-Jones, Ph.D. as Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Thornton-Jones will leverage her regulatory expertise to guide and oversee the Company's regulatory submissions and strategy for Genprex's pipeline of gene therapy drug candidates.
"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Thornton-Jones to the Genprex team as her strategic regulatory and drug development expertise, including with novel gene therapy products, will be invaluable as we advance our innovative gene therapies to treat cancer and diabetes," said Rodney Varner, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer at Genprex. "We look forward to benefitting from Dr. Thornton-Jones' deep domain experience at this important point in Genprex's growth, particularly as we advance and expand our clinical development programs in oncology with our REQORSA® Immunogene Therapy drug candidate, and progress the development of our diabetes gene therapy program toward first-in-human studies. We look forward to Dr. Thornton-Jones' guidance as we drive these important clinical programs forward."
Dr. Thornton-Jones has more than 25 years of experience in drug development and extensive experience in regulatory strategy and regulatory affairs. Before joining Genprex, she was Vice President, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Project Team Lead at Tavanta Therapeutics, where Dr. Thornton-Jones established and directed robust regulatory strategies in support of early and late phase specialty products in the Tavanta portfolio. She lead the development and regulatory strategy for submission of regulatory documents to global regulatory agencies. Prior to that, Dr. Thornton-Jones was Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Project Team Lead at Affinia Therapeutics, where she established and directed regulatory strategies in support of novel neurodevelopment and neuro-oncology gene therapy products for rare disease indications. Dr. Thornton-Jones led strategic oversight for all program related activities to advance first-in-human clinical trials. She has also served in various other regulatory roles of increasing scope and responsibility, including at the Gene Therapy Program at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, at AbbVie, Sanofi, and as a reviewer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, among others.
Dr. Thornton-Jones holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology and an M.S. and a B.S. in Biology, all from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Inducement Grant
The Company has granted 200,000 options to Dr. Thornton-Jones at an exercise price equal to $0.44, the closing price of our common stock on August 21, 2023,
the date of grant. The stock options were granted as an inducement
material to Dr. Thornton-Jones entering into employment with the Company
pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). While these options were
not granted under Genprex's 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), the
awards will incorporate the terms of the Plan. The options vest in
equal one-third installments over the next three years and are
exercisable for a period of ten years subject to continued service to
the Company.
About Genprex, Inc.
Genprex, Inc. is a
clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing
therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes. Genprex's technologies
are designed to administer disease-fighting genes to provide new
therapies for large patient populations with cancer and diabetes who
currently have limited treatment options. Genprex works with world-class
institutions and collaborators to develop drug candidates to further
its pipeline of gene therapies in order to provide novel treatment
approaches. Genprex's oncology program utilizes its proprietary,
non-viral ONCOPREX® Nanoparticle Delivery System which encapsulates the
gene-expressing plasmids using lipid nanoparticles. The resultant
product is administered intravenously, where it is taken up by tumor
cells that then express tumor suppressor proteins that were deficient in
the tumor. The Company's lead product candidate, REQORSA®
(quaratusugene ozeplasmid), is being evaluated in three clinical trials
as a treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell
lung cancer (SCLC). Each of Genprex's three lung cancer clinical
programs has received a Fast Track Designation from the Food and Drug
Administration ("FDA"), and Genprex's SCLC program has received an FDA
Orphan Drug Designation. Genprex's diabetes gene therapy approach is
comprised of a novel infusion process that uses an adeno-associated
virus (AAV) vector to deliver Pdx1 and MafA genes directly to the
pancreas. In models of Type 1 diabetes, GPX-002 transforms alpha cells
in the pancreas into functional beta-like cells, which can produce
insulin but may be distinct enough from beta cells to evade the body's
immune system. In a similar approach, GPX-003 for Type 2 diabetes, where
autoimmunity is not at play, is believed to rejuvenate and replenish
exhausted beta cells.
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