Gene therapy leader Katherine High joins AskBio

German pharma and crop sciences leader Bayer’s (BAYN: DE) wholly-owned gene therapy firm Asklepios (AskBio) says that Katherine High has joined the company in the newly-formed role of president, therapeutics, and will also serve on its board of directors. She will be responsible for driving the strategic direction and execution of the company’s pre-clinical and clinical programs.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Dr High to AskBio,” said Sheila Mikhail, AskBio co-founder and chief executive, adding: “She is a seasoned leader who led the team that achieved the first FDA approval for a gene therapy for a genetic disease, as well as an accomplished hematologist whose pioneering bench-to-bedside studies helped characterize the human immune response to AAV vectors in a variety of target tissues. We are thrilled Dr High is now bringing her unique leadership and insights to our team."

At Spark, Dr High led Luxturna development”

Most recently, Dr High was a Visiting Professor at Rockefeller University. Previously, she served as president, head of R&D, and a member of the board of directors at Spark Therapeutics, where she directed the development and regulatory approval of Luxturna (voretigene neparvovec), the first gene therapy for a genetic disease to obtain regulatory approval in both the USA and Europe. Spark was acquired by Roche (ROG: SIX) in all-cash transaction, corresponding to a total transaction value of around $4.3 billion, which closed in late 2019.

Dr High stated: “In looking to the future of the field, I have been impressed with AskBio’s innovative, flexible and high-yield manufacturing capabilities and their inventive use of capsid engineering to expand therapeutic possibilities for AAV. Dr Jude Samulski has been a long-time leader in molecular virology, manufacturing and engineering of AAV. Decades ago, I received the first set of reagents I used to make recombinant AAV at the benchtop from him, and I expect that our mutual interests and complementary areas of expertise within AAV gene therapy will be a powerful engine for continuing, and even accelerating, progress at AskBio. I look forward to joining AskBio and the growing family of cell and gene therapy companies within the Bayer organization.”

Dr Samulski, co-founder and chief scientific officer of AskBio, noted: “Dr High’s many ‘firsts’ in clinical gene therapy, her longstanding commitment to the field, and her innovative approaches to solving problems in AAV therapeutics, make her an ideal addition to AskBio’s leadership team. We believe she will use her experience in gene therapy drug development to help advance the company’s existing pipeline and identify new indications in the areas of genetic and complex acquired disorders.”