Company Also Expands Advisory and Leadership Teams with
New Member of Scientific Advisory Board, Chairman of DiNAQOR UK, and General Counsel
PFÄFFIKON, Switzerland – September 16, 2020 – DiNAQOR AG, a gene therapy platform company, today announced that Eduard Ayuso, D.V.M., Ph.D. has been appointed as Chief Technology Officer. The Company also announced the addition of Mauro Giacca, M.D., Ph.D., to DiNAQOR’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), and the appointments of John McLaren as Chairman of DiNAQOR’s UK subsidiary, and Hans Rudolf Trüeb as DiNAQOR AG’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
“DiNAQOR is growing rapidly and we are thrilled to appoint these four distinguished leaders to advance our mission to bring gene therapy to the failing heart,” said Johannes Holzmeister, M.D., Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at DiNAQOR. “We are extremely fortunate that Dr. Ayuso is transitioning from his role on our SAB to be DiNAQOR’s first Chief Technology Officer. His expertise in multiple viral vector platforms for gene therapy will be a tremendous asset to our Company. In addition to Eduard, we are delighted to welcome John and Hans to our executive team; and we are honored that Professor Giacca, a highly esteemed key opinion leader in gene therapy, is joining our Scientific Advisory Board.”
Dr. Eduard Ayuso is an expert in the field of gene therapy using viral vector platforms, including adenoviral vectors, helper-dependent adenoviral vectors, and adeno-associated vectors (AAV), as well as their design, manufacture and purification. With over two decades of academic and industry consulting experience, he has made significant contributions to the field of in vivo gene transfer in small and large animal models of diseases, as well as AAV vector development and analytics. Dr. Ayuso previously served as Head of Innovative Vectorology at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), and as the Scientific Director of the Translational Vector Core unit at University of Nantes. Since 2018, he has served as vice president of the French Society for Gene and Cell Therapy. Dr. Ayuso earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and his degree in Veterinary Medicine from Autonomous University of Barcelona.
“DiNAQOR has an extremely impressive research and development pipeline, which has been validated by its collaborations with leading companies in the field, such as BioMarin and Lonza,” commented Dr. Ayuso. “I am eager to deepen my work with DiNAQOR’s outstanding leadership team to advance the Company’s promising gene therapy technology, including vectors and delivery methods such as the local-regional delivery system for the heart, to transform the lives of patients with genetic cardiomyopathies.”
Professor Mauro Giacca, the newest member of DiNAQOR’s Scientific Advisory Board, is a professor of Cardiovascular Sciences in the School of Cardiovascular Medicine & Sciences at King’s College London. He is an expert in the use of AAV vectors and the development of nanomedicines for cardiovascular applications. Professor Giacca has published over 360 papers in peer-reviewed, international journals, in addition to numerous chapters in published books and university textbooks, and he is the author of the book “Gene Therapy”, Springer ed., 2010. Until 2018, Professor Giacca served as the Director-General of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), an international organization in the United Nations system. He is the President Elect of the International Society for Heart Research (ISHR) – European Section, and has served in the scientific councils of several biotechnology centers internationally, including the National Committee for Biotechnology, Biosafety and Life Sciences (CNBBSV), an advisory body to the President of the Council of Ministers of the Government of Italy. Professor Giacca received his M.D. from the University of Trieste, Italy and his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Virology from the University of Genoa, Italy.
“My research is focused on the goal of developing novel treatments for myocardial infarction and heart failure and I am very excited by DiNAQOR’s pioneering work on the development of gene therapies for cardiomyopathies. I look forward to collaborating with the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board,” said Professor Giacca.
John McLaren, Chairman of DiNAQOR UK, is a former British diplomat, investment banker and venture capitalist. He served as a Director in banks including, Barings, Morgan Grenfell, Deutsche Bank and Barchester Group, and as a General Partner at Hambrecht & Quist. Mr. McLaren has worked extensively in Japan, the UK, and the US, across multiple sectors including biotechnology, electronics, automotive, and luxury products. He is the author of five novels and two children’s books, and he founded Masterprize, the world’s leading competition for composers. He serves on the boards of several companies, including as Chairman of IP services business Rouse International Limited. Mr. McLaren studied law at Durham University.
Hans Rudolf Trüeb, DiNAQOR’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, is a senior partner in the law firm Walder Wyss, a top-tier national firm. He is a highly regarded practitioner advising Swiss and international clients in corporate and technology-related transactions as well as governance and compliance issues. Mr. Trüeb is an adjunct professor at Zurich University Law School. He earned his legal degrees at the University of Zurich and the University of California, Berkeley.
About DiNAQOR
Founded in 2019, DiNAQOR AG is a global gene therapy platform company focused on advancing novel solutions for patients suffering from heart disease. The company is headquartered in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, with additional presence in London, England and Boston, Massachusetts (US). For more information visit www.dinaqor.com.
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