BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing innovative microRNA (miRNA)-targeting therapeutics, today announced the appointments of Christopher J. Morl, M.B.A., B.Sc. (Hons), as Chief Business Officer and Aimee L. Jackson, Ph.D., as Director of Target Development. Mr. Morl and Dr. Jackson are biotech and pharmaceutical industry veterans and bring significant strategic and technical experience to the company's senior leadership team.
With more than 25 years of biotech and pharmaceutical industry experience, Mr. Morl has served in leadership roles for private biotech and multi-national pharmaceutical companies including Ambit Biosciences Corporation, Agensys, Inc. and Glaxosmithkline PLC. Prior to joining miRagen, Mr. Morl worked as a consultant advising pre-clinical and clinical stage biotech companies on corporate strategy, business development and financing. Mr. Morl holds a Master's of Business Administration from the Cranfield School of Management in Bedforshire, UK, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology from North East London Polytechnic. He serves as a Director of the Board of Alethia Biotherapeutics Inc., where he is also Chairman of the Audit Committee.
"I believe RNA-based therapeutics have the potential to radically alter outcomes in many diseases," said Mr. Morl. "miRagen is well positioned to potentially capitalize on the surge of interest in RNA-based therapeutics and I look forward to being part of this talented team."
Dr. Jackson, an experienced scientist in the field of miRNA biology, brings more than a decade of miRNA specific discovery and evaluation experience to miRagen's target identification efforts. After receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Health Science Center and completing her post-doctoral training, Dr. Jackson joined Rosetta Inpharmatics/Merck in Seattle, where her team established the use of expression profiling technologies combined with RNAi for target identification, target validation, elucidation of drug mechanism-of-action, and patient stratification. Now at miRagen, Dr. Jackson is leading the discovery and development of new therapeutic targets, as well as exploring novel delivery technologies for miRNA modulators.
"miRagen has the potential to realize the power of microRNA therapeutics in multiple disease areas," said Dr. Jackson. "I am excited to be joining this highly innovative company, and I look forward to advancing our microRNA therapeutic programs in our efforts to improve human health."
"The additions of Chris and Aimee strengthen our management team and further facilitate our ability to develop promising microRNA-targeting therapeutic candidates," said William S. Marshall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of miRagen Therapeutics, Inc. "We believe their leadership will allow us to continue to develop collaborations in technology and pharmaceutical development that have the potential to deliver life-changing medicines for patients in need."
About microRNAs
MicroRNAs have emerged as an important class of small RNAs encoded in the genome, acting as master regulators of gene expression. Recent studies have indicated that microRNAs appear to be associated with many disease processes. Because they are thought to be single molecular entities that dictate the expression of fundamental regulatory pathways, microRNAs represent potential drug targets for controlling many biologic and disease processes.1
About miRagen Therapeutics, Inc.
miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative microRNA (miRNA)-targeting therapies, specifically in disease areas of high unmet medical need. The company seeks to leverage in-house expertise in miRNA biology, oligonucleotide chemistry, and drug development to evaluate and advance promising technologies and high-potential drug candidates for its own pipeline and in conjunction with strategic partners. For certain cardiovascular disease programs, miRagen has partnered with Servier, a leading private European pharmaceutical company. miRagen retains all rights for the Servier-partnered programs in the United States and Japan. With its commercial and academic alliances, miRagen seeks to harness the power of microRNA biology by translating discoveries into breakthrough therapies that have the potential to improve human health. For more information, please visit www.miragenrx.com.
1) Mendell, J.T. and Olson, E.N. (2012). MicroRNAs in Stress Signaling and Human Disease. Cell 148, 1172-1187.
Contacts
miRagen
Kecia Carroll, 720-933-0848
Communications
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