Category: News

Doug Schantz joins as Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and Phil McNamara to serve as Vice President of Communications Research Triangle Park, N.C. –August 11, 2022 – Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), an independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, is adding two industry veterans to advance clinical operations and lead corporate communications.  Doug Schantz will serve as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and will ensure that all clinical trials are executed expeditiously, in full regulatory compliance and to the highest quality standard. Phil McNamara, serving as Vice President of Communications, will be responsible for all internal and external communications and media relations. “Doug and Phil bring a wealth of experience to the AskBio team and are reflective of the quality of individual talent we have at the company,” said Phil Dana, Chief Human Resources Officer. “Both represent key hires for AskBio as we continue to advance our pipeline and establish our position as a global leader in genetic medicine.” Doug Schantz is a seasoned clinical operations expert in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. He comes to AskBio from Alexion Pharmaceuticals where he most recently served as Vice President and Head of Clinical Operations.  At Alexion, he was responsible for program leadership across all phases of clinical development in several therapeutic areas, including hematology, metabolic diseases, neuroscience, and nephrology. Prior experience was with AstraZeneca as the Executive Director of Development Operations, as well as successfully serving a 17-year stint at Pfizer and eight years with Eli Lilly.  Phil McNamara joins AskBio from Novartis where he led Global Communications for its Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Franchise. He successfully built and led a team that supported various facets of the business and helped to enable a favorable market standing with patient and professional communities. Prior to Novartis, Mr. McNamara held global and US communication roles at Sanofi and Bristol Myers Squibb, respectively, and collectively brings over 20 years of diverse strategic communications experience to AskBio. Canwen Jiang, MD, PhD, AskBio’s Chief Development Officer and Chief Medical Officer adds, “Both Doug and Phil are vital members of our senior management team who will equally strengthen our presence within the industry and contribute to our success in all our clinical endeavors.” About AskBio  Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG acquired in 2020, is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines that cure genetic diseases. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic disease indications with a clinical-stage pipeline that includes therapeutics for Pompe disease, Parkinson’s disease, and congestive heart failure. AskBio’s gene therapy platform includes Pro10™, an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive capsid and promoter library. With global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and European headquarters in Edinburgh, UK, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary capsids and promoters, several of which have entered clinical testing. Founded in 2001 and an early innovator in the gene therapy field, the company holds more than 750 patents

Prestigious recognition for outstanding professional achievement in the formation of a successful enterprise awarded to Booth School of Business Alumni Research Triangle Park, N.C. – June 2, 2022 – Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), an independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, today announced that CEO and Co-Founder Sheila Mikhail was recognized by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business for outstanding professional achievement among its alumni. As a 1993 finance MBA graduate with honors, Ms. Mikhail has been recognized with the 2022 Entrepreneurial Award.  “This award is tremendously meaningful as the Booth School of Business is one of the nation’s top ranked business schools,” said AskBio Co-Founder and CEO Sheila Mikhail. “The award is a reflection of the accomplishments that could not be possible without the support of a world-class team at AskBio as we continue to advance our research, clinical candidates and manufacturing capabilities.” Ms. Mikhail earned a JD with honors from Northwestern University, a finance MBA with honors from the University of Chicago, and a BS with highest honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She co-founded AskBio in 2001 with Dr. R. Jude Samulski, who is considered one of the leading pioneers for AAV gene therapy technology.  Since co-founding AskBio, and under the leadership of Ms. Mikhail, the company, including its manufacturing facilities, has grown to employ over 700 biotech professionals operating in five countries. Eighteen months after closing a series A funding round of $235 million in April 2019, Ms. Mikhail orchestrated a $4 billion acquisition by Bayer AG in October 2020.  Under Ms. Mikhail’s leadership, AskBio is flourishing with an expansive gene therapy technology toolbox, three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in San Sebastian Spain and a robust therapeutic pipeline, all at various clinical stages, to treat Pompe Disease, Limbe Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple System Atrophy, Congestive Heart Failure, Huntington’s Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease. “In my view, Sheila is one of the most accomplished Biotech executives in the industry,” commented Dr. Samulski, AskBio’s Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer. “The recognition by University of Chicago Booth School of Business is a testament of her unparalleled business acumen combined with her significant command of genetic science” The Distinguished Alumni awards are only available to graduates of Chicago Booth. The Entrepreneurial Award is given to a person who has demonstrated professional achievement of the highest caliber in the management and formation of a successful enterprise and is recognition by colleagues and peers for outstanding leadership and administrative abilities.  About AskBio  Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG acquired in 2020, is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines that cure genetic diseases. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic disease indications with a clinical-stage pipeline that includes therapeutics for Pompe disease, Parkinson’s disease, and congestive heart failure. AskBio’s gene therapy platform includes Pro10™, an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive capsid and promoter library. With global headquarters in Research

Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) and Touchlight have announced a revised structure to their former joint venture, Touchlight AAV.

Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a leading, clinical-stage adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy company and a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, today announced that Philip Dana has been appointed to its executive team as Chief Human Resources Officer.

AskBio announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation for the LION-101 gene therapy program.

The U.S. FDA has cleared AskBio’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for LION-101 to proceed in a Phase 1/2 clinical study.

AskBio today announced that the Company will present abstracts and participate in sessions at the upcoming American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting.