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Press Releases 2002 Past President of National Hemophilia Foundation to Lead Gene Therapy Trials For Hemophilia and Parkinson's DiseaseAlameda, CA, November 18, 2002 – Avigen, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVGN) today announced that Glenn Pierce, Ph.D., M.D., has joined the company as Vice President, Clinical Development responsible for all of Avigen's gene therapy clinical trials. Avigen's lead product, Coagulin-B® for the treatment of hemophilia B is currently in a phase I/II clinical trial, and the company expects to file an IND (Investigation New Drug Application) and enter the clinic with a treatment for Parkinson's disease next year. Dr. Pierce is an internationally recognized expert in gene therapy with 20 years experience in designing and managing preclinical research, clinical trials and academic collaborations in hemophilia, neurobiology, and tissue regeneration, making him uniquely qualified to head up Avigen's programs. In addition, as a long-standing leader in the hemophilia community and past president of the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF), Dr. Pierce brings an important perspective to the design and implementation of clinical trials. Most recently Dr. Pierce was Vice President, Therapeutic Product Development at Selective Genetics, a gene therapy company he helped found in 1998. Previously, Dr. Pierce held a number of positions at Amgen and was instrumental in the development of Amgen's neurobiology program. Dr. Pierce holds numerous patents in various areas of drug delivery, tissue engineering, medical devices and viral vectors. He has published more than 100 papers in scientific and medical journals and has given dozens of lectures and presentations all over the world. He has served two terms as the president of the NHF in 1992 and in 2002. He initiated the NHF's first gene therapy committee and co-founded the NHF's annual gene therapy workshop in 1996. He earned both his M.D. and a Ph.D. in Immunology and Experimental Pathology at Case Western Reserve University. “We are all excited to welcome Glenn to the Avigen team. His experience in both hemophilia and neurobiology makes him the perfect choice to oversee Avigen's clinical programs in hemophilia and Parkinson's disease,” said John Monahan, Ph.D., Avigen's president and CEO. “I have been a proponent of gene therapy for many years,” said Dr. Pierce, “and am excited to be joining a company that I believe can make a significant contribution in this field. It is a rare opportunity to be a part of something that I believe can make a real difference for a community for which I care deeply. I believe Avigen's AAV gene therapy technology holds the best promise for developing an effective treatment for hemophilia.” Dr. Pierce will report to Ken Chahine Ph.D., J.D., Avigen's Chief Operating Officer. Avigen's long standing Vice President, Business Development and Intellectual Property, Chahine was recently appointed Chief Operating Officer as part of the company's ongoing strategic planning and development process. About Avigen Avigen, Inc., based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a leader in the development of gene therapy products, based on its AAV (adeno-associated virus) gene delivery platform technology. Avigen's proposed gene delivery products are designed for direct administration to patients in order to achieve expression of therapeutic proteins within the body. Avigen's Factor IX gene therapy product for hemophilia B, Coagulin-B®, is currently in clinical trials at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Stanford University Medical Center. Additional information on Avigen's proprietary gene delivery products can be found at www.avigen.com Investors Please Note : The statements in this news release regarding the company's expectations of filing an IND and entering the clinic with a treatment for Parkinson's disease next year, and the potential for success of gene therapy and Avigen's AAV gene therapy technology are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Specifically, Avigen's filing of an IND may be delayed or not occur in the event that unanticipated events occur in the development phase or in the process of preparing the IND. Further, clinical testing of gene therapy is ongoing and outcomes of such testing cannot be predicted. In addition, there are many other risks and uncertainties inherent in the development of gene therapy products, including the risk of not obtaining regulatory approval for a variety of reasons and the risk of adverse side effects in humans. Other risks relating to Avigen are detailed from time to time in documents filed by Avigen with the SEC, including Avigen's Transition Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2001, under the caption “Risk Factors” in Item 1 of that report. ###
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