Transformation in medicine leader Dr. Stuart Baker latest addition to team of emerging gene therapy pioneers
ROCKVILLE, Md. (January 27, 2016) – American Gene Technologies International, Inc. (AGT) today announced the appointment of Stuart B. Baker, MD to its board of directors. The latest addition to the emerging biotech's roster of world-renowned experts comes on the heels of the addition of David C. Pauza, Ph.D., who was named Chief Science Officer at AGT earlier this month.
The President and Co-Founder of Navvis & Company, Baker is highly regarded for his commitment to transforming medicine and brings a wealth of experience as a clinician, health system and corporate executive, and clinical professor of medicine to AGT's pursuit of treatments and, eventually, cures for a broad array of diseases.
"Gene therapy is on the precipice of fundamentally transforming the patient experience with diseases that were previously thought to be death sentences," said Dr. Stuart Baker upon his appointment to the AGT board. "I am convinced that AGT's unique approach to gene therapies represents the future, and I am thrilled to be a part of the coming sea-change in health care that their technology represents."
For more than two decades, Baker has been recognized as one of the pre-eminent thinkers and visionaries in the health care industry, serving on the board of directors of a dozen for-profit and non-profit organizations. At AGT, he will provide valuable advice and counsel on the evolution of the health care system, change management, introduction of new technologies, and physician engagement.
An Alpha Omega Alpha 1974 graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who completed his training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baker has demonstrated his commitment to groundbreaking transformations in health care delivery throughout his career.
"Gene therapy is already changing the way the world thinks about deadly diseases, but that is only the tip of the iceberg," said AGT CEO Jeff Galvin. "Our mission is to deliver on the promise of this technology to profoundly improve outcomes and the lives of patients. For that goal, there is no one I'd rather have in our corner than Stuart Baker. His broad experience, extensive knowledge and deep passion for healthcare will help AGT accelerate the availability of innovative, new gene therapy treatments for major diseases."
AGT anticipates launching a clinical study in HIV/AIDS this year to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a new therapy to improve the lives of millions of patients suffering from HIV. AGT currently has preclinical drug candidates for five other diseases in its pipeline: Liver Cancer, Parkinson's disease, Phenylketonuria (PKU), Familial Dysautonomia (FD), and Breast Cancer.
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About American Gene Technologies International, Inc.
American Gene Technologies (AGT) is developing genetic technologies intended to treat and ultimately cure major human diseases such as cancers, neurological disorders and infections diseases. AGT's genetic expertise and advanced lentiviral vectors enable researchers across a wide range of diseases to pursue the cures they have sought for years. These vectors are being designed to deliver therapeutic treatments more quickly and cost-effectively, with fewer side effects.
With six preclinical drug candidates in AGT's pipeline - all based on AGT's drug-delivery platform - and thousands of additional diseases potentially addressable using AGT's gene technologies, AGT is on a path to providing groundbreaking new treatments and cures for human disease. To learn more please visit www.americangene.com.
*To request a headshot of Dr. Stuart Baker, please contact [email protected].