Dr. Dmitry Samarsky Joins Sirnaomics Senior Management Team as Chief Technology Officer
GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES, September 25, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Sirnaomics, Inc., a leading biopharmaceutical company in discovery and development of RNAi therapeutics, announced today that Dmitry Samarsky, Ph.D., will be joining the company’s senior management team as Chief Technology Officer, taking effect on October 1st, 2018. Dr. Samarsky is one of the pioneers and an internationally recognized expert in the field of RNAi therapeutics. Dr. Samarsky will have two roles: (1) to lead Sirnaomics’ RNAi technology development and secure its leadership position; and (2) to facilitate technology collaborations and therapeutic partnerships.
Dr. Samarsky has been at the inception of RNAi technology and drug development - starting in 2001 as Director of Technology Development at Sequitur (acquired by Invitrogen in 2003) and (in 2005) as Director of Technology Development at Dharmacon (now part of GE). He then served as VP of Technology Development at RXi Pharmaceuticals, USA (2007-2011), SVP of Technology and International Business Development at RiboBio, China (2011-2016) and, most recently, as Chief Scientific Officer at Silence Therapeutics, Germany (2016-2018). Dr. Samarsky has authored more than 40 scientific papers, articles, book chapters, patents and patent applications. He has been an invited speaker at more than 100 international conferences, and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards for the OTS (Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society), CNAF (China Nucleic Acids Forum), TIDES (Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics) conference series and OPT (Oligonucleotide and Precision Therapeutics) Congress. Dr. Samarsky received his Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1998), followed by a postdoctoral position as an H. Arthur Smith Fellow for Cancer Research at University of Massachusetts Medical School (1998-2001).
“We are very happy to have Dr. Dmitry Samarsky join Sirnaomics’ senior management team as the Chief Technology Officer. Dmitry has extensive knowledge in the discovery and development of RNAi therapeutics and is one of the thought leaders for siRNA drug delivery,” Dr. Patrick Lu, President and CEO of the company, commented. “His addition not only strengthens Sirnaomics technology leadership but will also provide an initial presence for the company in the vibrant biotherapeutics arena within the Cambridge/Boston area.”
“I know well and have strong confidence in Sirnaomics’ leadership and outstanding management team,” said Dmitry. “I feel honored and excited to join the company in its quest to discover and develop therapeutics based on cutting edge RNAi technology to treat human diseases.”
About Sirnaomics Clinical Programs
The leading compound of Sirnaomics STP705 is composed of two siRNA oligonucleotides, targeting TGF-β1 and COX-2 mRNA respectively, and formulated in nanoparticles with Histidine-Lysine Co-Polymer (HKP) peptide. Each individual siRNA was demonstrated to inhibit the expression of their target mRNAs and combining the two siRNA’s produces a synergistic effect that diminishes pro-fibrogenic and pro-inflammatory factors. Molecular analyses of the effects of administering the combination demonstrated that the inhibition of these targets had effects on downstream gene products associated with fibrosis including α-SMA, Col1A1, and Col3A1. Additional data suggests that reductions in TGF-β1 and COX-2 led to proapoptotic effects in fibroblasts. These observations suggest that STP705 has the potential for broad application in many inflammatory and fibrotic disease states. STP705 has already entered Phase II clinical study in the USA and received clinical study approval from the Chinese FDA for treatment of hypertrophic Scar. In addition, STP705 has received two orphan drug designations for treatments of Liver Fibrosis: Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Liver Cancer: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) which has received IND green light recently. Other clinical indications for human fibrotic diseases and cancers using different RNAi therapeutic compounds are under development by Sirnaomics.
About Sirnaomics, Inc.
Sirnaomics, Inc., a leading privately held biopharmaceutical company for discovery and development of RNAi therapeutics, is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, with subsidiaries in Suzhou and Guangzhou, China. The company’s mission is to alleviate human suffering and advance patient care in areas of high unmet medical need, with a guiding principle of “Innovation, Global Vision, and Patient-Centered”. Members of the senior management team have extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical, financial, clinical and business management arenas in both the USA and China. The company is supported with funding from Institutional investors, corporate partnerships and government grants. Sirnaomics has developed a strong portfolio of intellectual property with an enriched product pipeline. The therapeutic areas of interest include fibrotic diseases and oncology.
Dr. Samarsky has been at the inception of RNAi technology and drug development - starting in 2001 as Director of Technology Development at Sequitur (acquired by Invitrogen in 2003) and (in 2005) as Director of Technology Development at Dharmacon (now part of GE). He then served as VP of Technology Development at RXi Pharmaceuticals, USA (2007-2011), SVP of Technology and International Business Development at RiboBio, China (2011-2016) and, most recently, as Chief Scientific Officer at Silence Therapeutics, Germany (2016-2018). Dr. Samarsky has authored more than 40 scientific papers, articles, book chapters, patents and patent applications. He has been an invited speaker at more than 100 international conferences, and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards for the OTS (Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society), CNAF (China Nucleic Acids Forum), TIDES (Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics) conference series and OPT (Oligonucleotide and Precision Therapeutics) Congress. Dr. Samarsky received his Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1998), followed by a postdoctoral position as an H. Arthur Smith Fellow for Cancer Research at University of Massachusetts Medical School (1998-2001).
“We are very happy to have Dr. Dmitry Samarsky join Sirnaomics’ senior management team as the Chief Technology Officer. Dmitry has extensive knowledge in the discovery and development of RNAi therapeutics and is one of the thought leaders for siRNA drug delivery,” Dr. Patrick Lu, President and CEO of the company, commented. “His addition not only strengthens Sirnaomics technology leadership but will also provide an initial presence for the company in the vibrant biotherapeutics arena within the Cambridge/Boston area.”
“I know well and have strong confidence in Sirnaomics’ leadership and outstanding management team,” said Dmitry. “I feel honored and excited to join the company in its quest to discover and develop therapeutics based on cutting edge RNAi technology to treat human diseases.”
About Sirnaomics Clinical Programs
The leading compound of Sirnaomics STP705 is composed of two siRNA oligonucleotides, targeting TGF-β1 and COX-2 mRNA respectively, and formulated in nanoparticles with Histidine-Lysine Co-Polymer (HKP) peptide. Each individual siRNA was demonstrated to inhibit the expression of their target mRNAs and combining the two siRNA’s produces a synergistic effect that diminishes pro-fibrogenic and pro-inflammatory factors. Molecular analyses of the effects of administering the combination demonstrated that the inhibition of these targets had effects on downstream gene products associated with fibrosis including α-SMA, Col1A1, and Col3A1. Additional data suggests that reductions in TGF-β1 and COX-2 led to proapoptotic effects in fibroblasts. These observations suggest that STP705 has the potential for broad application in many inflammatory and fibrotic disease states. STP705 has already entered Phase II clinical study in the USA and received clinical study approval from the Chinese FDA for treatment of hypertrophic Scar. In addition, STP705 has received two orphan drug designations for treatments of Liver Fibrosis: Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Liver Cancer: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) which has received IND green light recently. Other clinical indications for human fibrotic diseases and cancers using different RNAi therapeutic compounds are under development by Sirnaomics.
About Sirnaomics, Inc.
Sirnaomics, Inc., a leading privately held biopharmaceutical company for discovery and development of RNAi therapeutics, is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, with subsidiaries in Suzhou and Guangzhou, China. The company’s mission is to alleviate human suffering and advance patient care in areas of high unmet medical need, with a guiding principle of “Innovation, Global Vision, and Patient-Centered”. Members of the senior management team have extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical, financial, clinical and business management arenas in both the USA and China. The company is supported with funding from Institutional investors, corporate partnerships and government grants. Sirnaomics has developed a strong portfolio of intellectual property with an enriched product pipeline. The therapeutic areas of interest include fibrotic diseases and oncology.
George Ji, Senior VP
Sirnaomics, Inc.
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