Aevitas Therapeutics Inc., a Fortress Biotech Inc. partner company focused on the development of novel gene therapy approaches for complement-mediated diseases, has appointed Markus Peters, Ph.D., M.Sc., as president and chief executive officer.
 
Peters was most recently the chief operating officer of Gemini Therapeutics after serving as the chief commercial officer of Agilis Biotherapeutics. Peters will lead the company as it advances its proprietary platform designed to deliver engineered, fully functional, shortened complement factor H (CFH) via adeno-associated virus (AAV).
 
Lindsay A. Rosenwald, M.D., Fortress’ chairman, president and chief executive officer and Aevitas’ executive chairman, said, “We are pleased to welcome Markus as chief executive officer of Aevitas. His extensive experience with AAV-based gene therapies and complement-mediated diseases, strong global biopharma leadership background, and expertise in the development of novel therapeutics will benefit Aevitas as we advance our shortened CFH gene platform. We also welcome Dr. Bowes Rickman to Aevitas’ SAB. Her expertise in AMD, and research establishing the key role CFH plays in disease progression and susceptibility, will be invaluable.”
 
“I am excited to be joining Aevitas at this critical juncture for the company, as it advances towards clinical trials,” said Peters. “With an experienced team and collaborations with leading academic institutions, Aevitas is well positioned to advance with due urgency potential therapies for patients with genetic diseases of the complement system, providing value through the application of its proprietary AAV platform.”
 
Dr. Catherine Bowes Rickman Joins the Scientific Advisory Board
 
Aevitas also appointed Catherine Bowes Rickman, Ph.D., FARVO, a leading AMD researcher, to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to support the advancement of its program for the treatment of dry AMD. Bowes Rickman will join scientific founder, Dr. Wenchao Song, Ph.D. of the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Guangping Gao, Ph.D. of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Over the last decade, Bowes Rickman has focused her research on the impact of the complement system on the pathobiology of AMD.