Passage Bio Appoints Saqib Islam to Board of Directors

PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Passage Bio, a genetic medicines company developing AAV-delivered therapeutics for the treatment of rare monogenic central nervous system diseases, today announced the appointment of Saqib Islam to its Board of Directors. Mr. Islam is currently the chief executive officer of SpringWorks Therapeutics.

“Saqib has extensive international business management and operating experience in the Biotech sector and a deep background in fundraising in the healthcare industry. Having recently launched Passage Bio with a $115.5 million Series A fundraising, we are extremely pleased to have him join the Board of Directors and look forward to his strategic leadership and financial insights as we advance our therapeutic candidates into the clinic early next year,” said Tachi Yamada, M.D., co-founder and chairman of the Board at Passage Bio. “Furthermore, we believe that his shared commitment to transforming the lives of patients with rare diseases makes him a very complementary addition to our Board.”

Saqib Islam was appointed as chief executive officer of SpringWorks Therapeutics in 2018. He was a founding member of the company’s executive team since its launch in 2017 and previously served as chief financial officer and chief business officer (CBO). Prior to joining SpringWorks, Mr. Islam was CBO at Moderna Therapeutics, where he oversaw critical aspects of the company’s growth, including global strategic planning, corporate development and business development. Prior to Moderna, Mr. Islam was executive vice president, chief strategy and portfolio officer at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, executing the company’s corporate growth strategies and contributing to its assessment and management of global operations. He has extensive background in the healthcare banking sector, having held managing director positions in the investment banking divisions of Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse Securities. He received his bachelor’s degree from McGill University, graduating as a Faculty and University Scholar, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

About Passage Bio
Passage Bio is a privately-held fully integrated genetic medicines company with a mission to develop a portfolio of five life-transforming AAV-delivered therapeutics for the treatment of rare monogenic central nervous system diseases. The company is based in Philadelphia, PA and has a research, collaboration and license agreement with the University of Pennsylvania and its Gene Therapy Program (GTP) as well as the Orphan Disease Center (ODC). Pursuant to the research collaboration, GTP conducts IND-enabling preclinical work, and Passage Bio is responsible for clinical development, regulatory, manufacturing and commercialization of all product candidates. The ODC is responsible for natural history studies, KOL engagement, and patient advocacy outreach. In February 2019, the company completed a $115.5 million Series A financing with investments from OrbiMed, Frazier Healthcare Partners, Versant Ventures, New Leaf Venture Partners, Vivo Capital and Lilly Asia Ventures.

For further information, please contact:

Sarah McCabe
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
212-362-1200
sarah@sternir.com