PepGen Welcomes Esteemed Neurologist Dr. John Day to Scientific Advisory Board

BOSTON, Oct. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PepGen, Inc., a company advancing next-generation oligonucleotide therapies for neuromuscular and neurologic diseases, today announced the appointment of neuromuscular neurologist John W. Day, M.D., Ph.D., to its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Day is a Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics (Genetics) and Pathology and Director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine at Stanford University.

“It’s my pleasure to welcome Dr. John Day, who brings decades of experience working and teaching in the neuromuscular disease space, to PepGen’s Scientific Advisory Board,” said James McArthur, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of PepGen. “John is a renowned expert in neuromuscular diseases and particularly myotonic dystrophy, a severe, progressive disorder that currently has no cure. John will provide valuable guidance to PepGen’s team of dedicated industry leaders as we work to advance our lead candidates in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 1 into clinical studies.”

Throughout his career, Dr. Day has investigated the multisystemic effects of myotonic dystrophy type 1 and 2 and other genetic disorders and has more than 30 years of experience directing clinical trials of oligonucleotide and other novel treatments that correct genetic disorders of nerves and muscles. After completing his neurology and neuromuscular training at the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Day was recruited to the University of Minnesota, where, as Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics and Genetics, he founded and directed the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center. In 2011, he was recruited to Stanford to establish a comprehensive Division of Neuromuscular Medicine. He is an advisor for multiple organizations in the neuromuscular disease space, including the National Advisory Committee for the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation, and is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, the American Academy of Neurology, and the World Muscle Society, among others. Dr. Day received his M.D. from the University of Minnesota and earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he studied synaptic physiology and plasticity.

“I am delighted to be joining PepGen’s Scientific Advisory Board. PepGen’s founders and team share my own passion for supporting people and families in the fight against neuromuscular and neurologic diseases and have developed a differentiated scientific approach that has potential to transform treatment of these disorders,” Dr. Day said. “I look forward to working alongside these talented researchers in advancing PepGen’s Enhanced Delivery Oligonucleotides for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy and other neuromuscular diseases.”

About PepGen 
PepGen, Inc. is a biotechnology company advancing next-generation oligonucleotide therapies for neuromuscular and neurologic diseases. PepGen’s proprietary Enhanced Delivery Oligonucleotides (EDOs) are designed to target the underlying causes of rare genetic diseases safely and effectively such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). In preclinical studies, PepGen’s enhanced delivery peptides achieved cell penetration and delivery of therapeutic candidates to multiple tissue types, including cardiac tissue. PepGen was founded by leading neurology researchers in Oxford, UK and is backed by a strong syndicate of investors including RA Capital Management, Oxford Science Enterprises, and others. The company is headquartered in Boston, Mass. For more information, visit www.pepgen.com or follow PepGen on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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