Full Press Release Details
Morphic Announces Appointment of Marc
Schegerin, MD, as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
WALTHAM, Mass. - April 7, 2020
- Morphic Therapeutic (NASDAQ: MORF), a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies
for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, today announced the appointment of Marc Schegerin, MD, as chief financial officer
and chief operating officer. Dr. Schegerin was most recently chief financial officer of ArQule and joins Morphic with extensive
experience in the biotechnology space spanning clinical and business development, strategy,
finance and operations.
"Marc is a veteran industry professional
with an accomplished and diverse background in healthcare investment banking, drug development and medicine," said Praveen
Tipirneni, president and chief executive officer of Morphic Therapeutic. "With the appointment of Dr. Schegerin, and the
recent hiring of Dr. Peter G. Linde, MD, as chief medical officer, Morphic has strategically expanded its leadership to support
the clinical development of our portfolio of small molecule integrin inhibitors and drive long-term value creation from the MInT
joining Morphic, Dr. Schegerin served as chief financial officer, treasurer and head of strategy & communications at
ArQule, an oncology-focused drug developer, until its recent acquisition by Merck for $2.7 billion. Prior to this role, Dr. Schegerin
served in various senior healthcare investment banking roles at CitiGroup and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Dr. Schegerin has
held industry management roles at Biogen and Sage Therapeutics as a program director responsible for the overall strategy and execution
of drug development for a number of candidates after beginning his career in the healthcare group at Goldman Sachs.
"Morphic's unique approach
to developing orally administered, small molecule integrin inhibitors represent a long-awaited advance in the drug development
field, potentially opening new indications to integrin modulation and a more accessible modality for patients," commented
Dr. Schegerin. "Integrins are a diverse, near-ubiquitous family of proteins, and a portfolio of integrin-targeting therapies
has the potential to transform treatment for many chronic diseases, from autoimmune disorders to cancer. As both a physician and
life science executive, I am excited by the possibilities that Morphic's capabilities provide for both patients and healthcare
Marc earned his MD from Dartmouth Medical
School and MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Prior to Dartmouth, he received undergraduate degrees in premedical
studies from Harvard University and finance from Tulane University.
About Morphic Therapeutic
Morphic Therapeutic is a biopharmaceutical
company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, including autoimmune,
cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, fibrosis and cancer. In collaboration with AbbVie, Janssen, and Schr dinger, Morphic
is advancing its pipeline and discovery activities using its proprietary MInT technology platform which leverages the Company's
unique understanding of integrin structure and biology. For more information, visit www.morphictx.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
This press release contains "forward-looking"
statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
including, but not limited to: Morphic's plan to develop and commercialize oral small-molecule integrin therapeutics; the
ability of MORF-057 to treat inflammatory bowel disease; and Morphic's expectations about timing and ability to obtain regulatory
approvals for MORF-057 or any other of its product candidates. Statements including words such as "believe," "plan,"
"continue," "expect," "will be," "develop," "signal," "potential,"
or "ongoing" and statements in the future tense are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve
risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions, which, if they do not fully materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject
to risks and uncertainties that may cause Morphic's actual activities or results to differ significantly from those expressed
in any forward-looking statement, including risks and uncertainties related to Morphic's ability to develop, obtain regulatory
approval for and commercialize MORF-720, MORF-057, and other product candidates, the timing and results of preclinical studies
and clinical trials, Morphic's ability to protect intellectual property; the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other risks set
forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof
and Morphic specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements or reasons why actual results might
differ, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Tom Donovan, Ten Bridge Communications