Atsena Therapeutics Appoints Joseph S. Zakrzewski as Board Chair
Biotech and pharma veteran brings expertise in therapeutic development and commercialization
DURHAM, NC, July 15, 2024 – Atsena Therapeutics, a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on bringing the life-changing power of genetic medicine to reverse or prevent blindness, today announced the appointment of Joseph (“Joe”) S. Zakrzewski as Chair of its Board of Directors, effective immediately.
“We are thrilled Joe has joined our Board of Directors. As the Chair of our Board, his vast leadership experience and business acumen in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries will be an asset to Atsena,” said Patrick Ritschel, Chief Executive Officer of Atsena Therapeutics. “We look forward to his insights as we continue to advance our potential best-in-class treatments for inherited retinal diseases in the clinic.”
Throughout his distinguished 30-year career, Mr. Zakrzewski has founded several biotechnology companies and has held leadership positions including Chairman and CEO of Amarin Pharmaceuticals, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Xcellerex and Chief Operating Officer of Reliant Pharmaceuticals. Prior, Mr. Zakrzewski served in a variety of executive-level positions at Eli Lilly & Company for 17 years including R&D, manufacturing, finance and business development. He has served as a member of the board of directors of over 25 publicly and privately held companies, with many successful exits for shareholders. Mr. Zakrzewski holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a M.S. in Biochemical Engineering from Drexel University, and an M.B.A. in Finance from Indiana University.
“I am honored to join Atsena’s Board and work with its experienced leadership team. The company’s commitment to developing innovative gene therapies aligns with my passion for advancing treatments that can significantly improve patients’ lives. With ongoing Phase I/II clinical trials and pioneering adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology, Atsena is driving remarkable progress in the field of ocular gene therapy,” said Mr. Zakrzewski. “I look forward to helping Atsena advance its mission to bring the transformative possibilities of genetic medicine to patients in need.”
About Atsena Therapeutics
Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing best-in-class treatments for the reversal or prevention of blindness from inherited retinal diseases. The company’s lead program is evaluating ATSN-201 in an ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial for X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), a progressive genetic condition affecting boys and men that is typically diagnosed in childhood. Another ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial is evaluating ATSN-101 for Leber congenital amaurosis type 1 (LCA1), one of the most common causes of blindness in children. Atsena’s pipeline is powered by novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology tailored to overcome the hurdles presented by inherited retinal diseases. Founded by pioneers in ocular gene therapy, Atsena is led by an experienced team dedicated to addressing the needs of patients with vision loss. For more information, please visit https://atsenatx.com/.
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