CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a clinical-stage genome editing company, today announced the appointment of Caren Deardorf as the Company’s first Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer. Ms. Deardorf will build and lead Editas Medicine’s commercial organization, strategy, and execution to support all launch, commercialization, and lifecycle management activities of the Company’s current and future pipeline of products.

“As we drive our lead program EDIT-301 towards commercialization, I am happy to welcome a commercial leader of Caren’s caliber to Editas. Caren has a proven ability to translate early discovery and clinical assets into robust business strategy with disciplined portfolio prioritization and value creation. Additionally, she has led multiple successful US and global product launches. Caren’s expertise and track record make her the ideal leader to help Editas reach this goal for patients,” said Gilmore O’Neill, M.B., M.M.Sc., President and Chief Executive Officer, Editas Medicine.

Ms. Deardorf added, “With a clear focus on bringing EDIT-301 into the market for people living with sickle cell disease, ‘right now’ is the optimal time for Editas to build a commercial team and strategy. I look forward to driving the business forward alongside this strong Leadership Team as we bring EDIT-301 – and future pipeline medicines – through the clinic to commercialization.”

Caren Deardorf brings to Editas more than 25 years of international biotechnology leadership across a range of companies and therapeutic areas. Most recently, Ms. Deardorf served as the Chief Commercial Officer of Magenta Therapeutics. Prior to Magenta, she served as the Chief Commercial Officer of Ohana Biosciences where she was responsible for developing a commercial strategy, including planning for the company’s first product launch.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Deardorf held a variety of commercial roles of increasing responsibility at Biogen, most recently serving as Vice President, Product Development & Commercialization, leading and executing a highly successful global launch of SPINRAZA^®, a treatment for children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy. During her tenure at Biogen, Ms. Deardorf was instrumental in building the multiple sclerosis (MS) franchise and helping to establish Biogen’s global leadership through US and worldwide brand management, including leading the brand and launch strategy for TECFIDERA^® and the successful US and EU launches of TYSABRI^® and AVONEX^®.

Ms. Deardorf holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Tufts University and a Master of Business Administration from the Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College. Ms. Deardorf serves on the Boards of Directors for Crinetics Pharmaceuticals and for NeuroSense Therapeutics. She is also a board member for the Pan-Mass Challenge, a non-profit organization that raises funds for Dana-Farber Center Institute.

About Editas Medicine

As a clinical-stage genome editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of the CRISPR/Cas12a and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of treatments for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, precision genomic medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "should," "would," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials, and clinical development of the Company’s product candidates; availability and timing of results from preclinical studies and clinical trials; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial or the results of future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products and availability of funding sufficient for the Company’s foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.