CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTI), a biopharmaceutical company developing small molecule therapeutics to treat diseases caused by dysfunctional protein processing such as cystic fibrosis (CF), today announced the appointment of Naimish Patel, M.D., C.M., and Elizabeth Tullis, M.D., FRCPC, to its clinical advisory board. Dr. Patel is currently a Project Leader in Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity iMED and Senior Medical Director for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in Sweden. Dr. Tullis serves as Director of the Toronto Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital. The recent appointees will join a team of the world’s leading cystic fibrosis experts, including Richard B. Moss, M.D.; Jane C. Davies, M.D., FRCPCH; Michael R. Knowles, M.D.; Felix A. Ratjen, M.D., Ph.D.; Isabelle Sermet-Gaudelus, M.D., Ph.D.; and Pamela L. Zeitlin, M.D., Ph.D.
"We are thrilled to welcome Drs. Patel and Tullis to our clinical advisory board. Proteostasis Therapeutics has worked hard to gather a truly luminary group of advisors, and Drs. Patel and Tullis will make a significant impact as the company advances existing clinical and pre-clinical programs in cystic fibrosis,” said Dr. Richard B. Moss, chairman of the clinical advisory board for Proteostasis Therapeutics. “Dr. Patel’s knowledge and experience in translational medicine and early clinical development focused on cystic fibrosis, coupled with Dr. Tullis’ extensive research in adult cystic fibrosis, will be invaluable as the company continues to develop PTI-428 and additional compounds to expand the therapeutic benefits achievable by CF patients with a broader set of disease genotypes.”
Dr. Patel joined AstraZeneca in September 2013 and has led early clinical development teams, as well as pre-clinical development teams identifying and developing compounds from target identification to Phase 1 to Phase 2b. Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Dr. Patel served as Associate Medical Director in the Clinical Medical Director Group in CF for Vertex Pharmaceuticals, where he led an early-phase Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator corrector program, the biomarkers task force and a Phase 3 study program. Dr. Patel is an Attending Physician in the Intensive Care Unit and Pulmonary Outpatient Services at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Patel earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (M.D., C.M.) from McGill University Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Patel also completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Alongside her role as Director of the Toronto Adult CF Clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital, Dr. Tullis serves as Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, the Respirology Division Head at St. Michael’s Hospital, and as an Adjunct Scientist at the Keenan Research Centre of Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. She is the CF Canada Chair in Adult CF Research and previously served as Chair of the clinic subcommittee of the Medical/Scientific Advisory Board of CF Canada. Dr. Tullis has published over 100 articles and book chapters and has lectured nationally and internationally on issues related to CF in adults. Dr. Tullis graduated from University of Toronto Medical School, where she completed internal medicine and respirology training. She also completed a clinical fellowship in adult CF in Melbourne, Australia in 1990.
“Proteostasis Therapeutics is making great strides in its commitment to advancing and improving the treatment of cystic fibrosis for more than 70,000 patients worldwide living with the disease,” said Dr. Patel. “I am honored to work alongside the top experts in this field and to help guide the company’s research efforts and clinical trial programs into the future.”
“As Proteostasis Therapeutics continues to expand its clinical programs, I look forward to bringing my experience and expertise to the table as we work together on such a groundbreaking approach to treating those with cystic fibrosis,” said Dr. Tullis.
About Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc.
Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery of groundbreaking therapies to treat diseases caused by dysfunctional protein processing, such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, the Proteostasis Therapeutics team focuses on identifying therapies that modulate the proteostasis imbalance in cells and restore protein function. Proteostasis Therapeutics is currently enrolling eligible adults with CF to participate in its Phase 1 clinical trials of PTI-428. In addition to its multiple programs in cystic fibrosis, Proteostasis Therapeutics has formed collaborations with Biogen to research and identify therapeutic candidates for neurodegenerative disease and with Astellas Pharma, Inc. to research and identify therapies targeting the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) pathway. For more information, visit www.proteostasis.com.