XyloCor Therapeutics has named Rickey Reinhardt as CMO. Reinhardt, who helped GlaxoSmithKline get a gene therapy to market, joins XyloCor to take genetic treatments for cardiovascular diseases through clinical development.
Philadelphia-based XyloCor set itself up to move a gene therapy treatment for treatment-resistant angina into clinical development late last year when it raised $17 million in a series A co-led by LSP and Sofinnova Partners. The gene therapy, XC001, is designed to improve blood supply by stimulating the formation of coronary blood vessels.
Al Gianchetti, who spent more than 20 years at GSK across two stints, is leading XyloCor and has turned to one of his former colleagues for support. Gianchetti and Reinhardt crossed paths at GSK earlier in the decade. During that time, Reinhardt helped to get the ex-vivo gene therapy Strimvelis to market.
Reinhardt left GSK in 2016 to take up the position of VP, clinical R&D at Regenxbio. That position put Reinhardt in charge of translational medicine and clinical development for Regenxbio’s early phase gene therapy programs targeting rare neurodegenerative pediatric disorders and an eye indication.
After two years at Regenxbio, Reinhardt moved on, taking up the CMO role at Comet Therapeutics. Comet is working to treat inborn errors of metabolism.
XyloCor is betting that the experience Reinhardt gained at those companies will benefit its pipeline as it moves XC001 into phase 1 and progresses another cardiac candidate toward the clinic.
“His proven success in driving drug development from discovery through phase 4 in areas such as oncology, cardiometabolics and rare diseases, including several clinical-stage gene therapy programs, will be a tremendous asset to our company,” Gianchetti said in a statement.