Editas Medicine Appoints Cynthia Collins as President and Chief Executive Officer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a leading genome editing company, today announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously appointed Cynthia (Cindy) Collins, a 30-plus year industry veteran currently serving as the Company’s interim CEO as President and Chief Executive Officer. Cindy will also continue to serve as a member of the Company’s Board.

“Following a comprehensive search process, the Board is delighted to welcome Cindy permanently to Editas Medicine. She is a dynamic, proven leader with extensive experience in gene and cell medicines, growing biotech companies, and a track record of disciplined execution. Cindy is the ideal person to continue leading Editas Medicine towards our EM22 goals while bringing new medicines, new partnerships, and significant value to the Company,” said James C. Mullen, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “The Board and I are confident she is the right person to harness the Company’s strong positive momentum and lead the Company into the future.”

“We have limitless potential at Editas Medicine, and it is an honor to have the opportunity to lead the Company and help deliver on the promise of genome editing and our mission to make medicines for people living with serious diseases,” said Cynthia Collins, President and CEO, Editas Medicine. “I am excited to work with the talented, committed Editas Medicine team and build on our past accomplishments and positive momentum as we continue to execute the EM22 goals that guide the Company today.”

Collins added, “In the near-term, we are focused on initiating patient dosing in our clinical trial of EDIT-101 for patients with LCA10, moving closer to the clinic with EDIT-301 for the treatment of sickle cell disease, expanding our portfolio through strategic business development, and building our organizational capabilities to scale for growth.”

Cindy is a recognized leader in gene and cell medicines, molecular diagnostics, life sciences, and therapeutics. Prior to joining Editas, Cindy served as the CEO of Human Longevity, Inc. She also served as the CEO/GM of the Cell Therapy and Lab Business of General Electric’s Healthcare Life Sciences and as the CEO of Clarient Diagnostics, Inc.; as President and CEO of GenVec, Inc., a publicly-traded vaccine and gene therapy company; and as Group Vice President, Cellular Analysis Business of Beckman Coulter with responsibility for its Hematology, Flow Cytometry, and Hemostasis businesses. Prior to Beckman Coulter, she served as President and CEO of Sequoia Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a venture-capital funded company developing antiviral drugs for HIV and HCV.

Cindy received her BS degree in Microbiology from the University of Illinois, Urbana and her MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She is a member of the board of directors for the ARM Foundation for Cell and Gene Medicine, Triumvira Immunologics, Inc., DermTech, Inc., and Biocare Medical, LLC.

About Editas Medicine
As a leading genome editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cpf1 (also known as Cas12a) genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of treatments for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, precision genomic medicines for a broad class of diseases. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "should," "would," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the Company’s plans with respect to the Brilliance Phase 1/2 clinical trial for EDIT-101 (AGN-151587), and its goals, including EM22. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials and clinical development of the Company’s product candidates; availability and timing of results from pre-clinical studies and clinical trials; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial or the results of future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products and availability of funding sufficient for the Company’s foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:
Media
Cristi Barnett
(617) 401-0113
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Investors
Mark Mullikin
(617) 401-9083
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