CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Synlogic (Nasdaq: SYBX) announced the addition of two experienced executives to key leadership roles: Andrew Gengos as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Corporate Development, and Adam Thomas as Chief Human Resources Officer.
“We are very pleased to welcome Andrew and Adam to Synlogic, both of whom bring broad industry experience with leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies,” said JC Gutiérrez-Ramos, Ph.D., Synlogic’s president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to their leadership as we continue to develop the breadth and potential of our platform of Synthetic Biotic™ medicines, through our programs for the treatment of inborn errors of metabolism, with clinical data expected later this year and in 2018, as well as through the treatment of more common diseases, including liver disease, inflammatory and immune disorders, and cancer.”
Andrew Gengos, who will be responsible for all corporate and business development activities at Synlogic, brings over 25 years of senior leadership experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, holding key positions at companies focused on advancing innovative products and technologies. Mr. Gengos served for more than seven years as Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development at Amgen, where he managed all business development activities, led the execution of strategic projects and supported the long-range planning process for the company. Prior to that, he served as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer of Dynavax Technologies where he was responsible for all business and finance activities. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gengos served as Vice President of Strategy at Chiron Corporation (now Novartis) and as a Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company. Prior to joining Synlogic, Mr. Gengos served as President and CEO of Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals and, most recently, as President and CEO of ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, an immune-oncology company pursuing treatments for glioblastoma. Mr. Gengos holds an M.B.A. degree from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Adam Thomas has spent more than 20 years in human resources helping leading companies recruit and retain top talent. Prior to joining Synlogic, Mr. Thomas served as Vice President and Head of Human Resources for Research and Development at Shire during a period when the company underwent major expansion, doubling the size of its research and development workforce in Massachusetts. Before joining Shire, Mr. Thomas served as Head of Human Resources for Research, Development, and Engineering for S.C. Johnson and Company. Earlier in his career Mr. Thomas served as director in various human resources functions at Pfizer. Mr. Thomas holds an M.B.A. from Boston University, a Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B.) from the University of Edinburgh and an M.A. from the University of the West of England.
About Synthetic Biotic Medicines
Synlogic’s innovative new class of Synthetic Biotic medicines leverages the tools and principles of synthetic biology to genetically engineer probiotic microbes to perform or deliver critical functions missing or damaged due to disease. The company’s two lead programs target a group of rare metabolic diseases – inborn errors of metabolism (IEM). Patients with these diseases are born with a faulty gene, inhibiting the body’s ability to break down commonly occurring by-products of digestion that then accumulate to toxic levels and cause serious health consequences. When delivered orally, these medicines can act from the gut to compensate for the dysfunctional metabolic pathway and have a systemic effect. Synthetic Biotic medicines are designed to clear toxic metabolites associated with specific metabolic diseases and have the potential to significantly improve symptoms of disease for affected patients.
About Synlogic
Synlogic is pioneering the development of a novel class of living medicines, Synthetic Biotic medicines, based on its proprietary drug development platform. Synlogic’s initial pipeline includes Synthetic Biotic medicines for the treatment of rare genetic diseases, such as Urea Cycle Disorders (UCD) and Phenylketonuria (PKU). In addition, the company is leveraging the broad potential of its platform to create Synthetic Biotic medicines for the treatment of more common diseases, including liver disease, inflammatory and immune disorders, and cancer. Synlogic is collaborating with AbbVie to develop Synthetic Biotic-based treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). For more information, please visit www.synlogictx.com.
