Gene Therapy Pioneer Roger Hajjar, MD, Joins Atamyo Therapeutics Board of Directors

July 24, 2023 |

3 min read

Atamyo Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on the development of new-generation gene therapies targeting muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies, announced the appointment of Roger J. Hajjar, MD, Director of the Gene and Cell Therapy Institute at Mass General Brigham in Boston, to its Board of Directors.

EVRY, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Atamyo Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on the development of new-generation gene therapies targeting muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies, today announced the appointment of Roger J. Hajjar, MD, Director of the Gene and Cell Therapy Institute at Mass General Brigham in Boston, to its Board of Directors.

Dr. Hajjar is a gene therapy pioneer and internationally recognized scientist with more than 500 peer-reviewed publications. His cardiac gene therapy discoveries and methodologies for cardiac-directed gene transfer are currently utilized by investigators worldwide.

After receiving his MD from Harvard Medical School and the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology, he joined the faculty of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School from 1997 to 2006. His early research at MGH involved studying patients with heart failure with few treatment options, which led him to look towards gene therapy.

From 2007 to 2019, Dr. Hajjar was Director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and from 2019 to 2022, he was head of R&D at Ring Therapeutics, a Flagship Pioneering company. In December 2022, he was named the inaugural Director of the Gene and Cell Therapy Institute at Mass General Brigham.

Dr. Hajjar also is a successful entrepreneur. He was co-founder and Chief Medical/Scientific Officer of several biotechs including NanoCor Therapeutics and Medera Biopharmaceuticals.

“We are very happy to welcome Roger to Atamyo’s Board at such a pivotal time for the Company,” said Frederic Revah, Chairman of Atamyo’s Board of Directors. “Roger will add tremendous value and experience to the Board, and I very much look forward to working with him.”

Dr. Hajjar added, “I am delighted to be joining Atamyo’s Board during this exciting period of developing new gene therapy vectors with enhanced safety and efficacy. I look forward to contributing to this mission to develop treatments for devastating diseases, as the Company develops novel gene therapies for muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies.”

“We are thrilled to have Roger’s stature and experience join our Board. His outstanding scientific, medical, and entrepreneurial experience in cell and gene therapy will be invaluable as we progress the development of our gene therapies for both Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophies and cardiomyopathies,” said Stephane Degove, Atamyo’s Chief Executive Officer. “I also look forward to working with him to drive Atamyo’s future success.”

About Atamyo Therapeutics

Atamyo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharma focused on the development of a new generation of effective and safe gene therapies for muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies. A spin-off of gene therapy pioneer Genethon, Atamyo leverages unique expertise in AAV-based gene therapy and muscular dystrophies from the Progressive Muscular Dystrophies Laboratory at Genethon. Atamyo’s most advanced programs address different forms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD), with one clinical-stage program targeting LGMD-R9. The name of the company is derived from two words: Celtic Atao which means “Always” or “Forever” and Myo which is the Greek root for muscle. Atamyo conveys the spirit of its commitment to improve the life of patients affected by neuromuscular diseases with life-long efficient treatments. For more information visit www.atamyo.com.