– SWEDEN, Stockholm – OxThera AB, a Stockholm-based privately-held biopharmaceutical company today announced the appointment of Matthew Gantz as their new CEO. He succeeds Elisabeth Lindner as CEO, who will continue as COO of Oxthera overseeing the Oxabact program.
OxThera is developing a novel treatment, Oxabact, for Primary hyperoxaluria (PH), a fatal disease in children, and where there are currently no available therapies. The company is poised to initiate a pivotal Phase III study in PH with Oxabact in order to stop and/or delay disease progression.
“It is my pleasure to welcome Matthew as CEO of Oxthera”, said Dr. Georges Gemayel, Chairman of Oxthera. “His industry experience and his commitment to finding treatments for rare genetic diseases are tremendous assets that will allow Oxthera to rapidly progress the development of Oxabact for treating Primary hyperoxaluria.”
“I am honored to join Oxthera at this time for the next phase of its exciting journey as we prepare to initiate the Oxabact Phase III pivotal study in Primary hyperoxaluria”, said Matthew Gantz. “I believe the company is poised to make a real difference in patients suffering from this devastating rare disease. I am excited to work with our Board, Elisabeth and the rest of the Oxthera team to deliver on the promise of this new therapy.”
Matthew Gantz joins Oxthera after serving as EVP, US, of BTG Inc. He has extensive experience in the life science sector, having built and led rare disease and specialty biopharma businesses in both Europe and the US, including roles as CEO of two venture backed companies, as well as a variety of senior executive GM and Commercial roles throughout his career for companies such as Chiron, PathoGenesis and Abbott Labs, where he started his career. Matthew is currently a board member for SOBI, a publically traded Swedish rare disease company. Matthew holds an MBA from Harvard University, a BA from Princeton University and served as an infantry officer in the US Marine Corps.
Oxabact is an oral product, composed of highly concentrated freeze-dried live bacteria (Oxalobacter formigenes), designed for enteric elimination of plasma oxalate. A complete clinical development plan for Oxabact has been presented in Protocol Assistance and End-of-Phase II meetings with EMA and FDA respectively.
PH is a rare autosomal recessive disorder leading to markedly elevated levels of endogenous oxalate causing kidney deterioration and a gradual calcification of soft tissues. If left untreated, the disease can cause kidney failure and premature death. Currently, the sole available cure is a combined transplantation of liver and kidneys.
Oxabact holds orphan drug designations in the EU and the US for the treatment of PH, and in EU for treatment of Short Bowel Syndrome.
About OxThera
OxThera holds worldwide rights for compositions and methods of use for treatment of hyperoxaluria for two products; Oxabact and Oxazyme.
For more information : http://www.oxthera.com
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