RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Humacyte, Inc., an innovator in biotechnology and vascular regenerative medicine, announced today that it has appointed American Board of Surgery certified surgeon Jeffrey H. Lawson, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Lawson, a clinical advisor to Humacyte over the past 10 years, will oversee the medical and clinical development of the Company’s products.
Dr. Lawson recently served in various leadership roles at Duke University Medical Center (Durham, N.C.), including Professor of Surgery and Pathology, Vice Chair for Research in Surgery and Director of Clinical Trials for the Department of Surgery. Dr. Lawson has served as an investigator in Humacyte’s Phase II clinical research, and as a speaker at international symposiums on the topics of regenerative medicine and vascular surgery. He has also served as an advisor on the development of the investigational human acellular vessel (HAV). In 2013, Humacyte founder Dr. Laura Niklason, Dr. Lawson and a medical team at Duke University Medical Center, implanted Humacyte’s investigational HAV for vascular access into a patient who was diagnosed with chronic renal failure, representing the first such procedure in the U.S.
“Dr. Lawson’s deep commitment to our mission, robust knowledge of Humacyte’s technology and strong clinical background as a leading vascular surgeon will significantly strengthen Humacyte’s clinical research capabilities,” said Carrie S. Cox, Chairman and CEO of Humacyte.
After receiving his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in 1991 and his Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the same institution, Dr. Lawson completed his residency in general and thoracic surgery in 1999 at Duke University Medical Center. In 2002, he completed a fellowship in vascular surgery, also at Duke University Medical Center.
“It’s an honor to serve as Humacyte’s Chief Medical Officer, and I look forward to extending my work with the Company in this capacity to help to continue to advance the novel, investigational vessel that has been undergoing development for more than 17 years,” said Dr. Lawson.
Dr. Niklason notes, “Dr. Lawson is superbly qualified to lead clinical development activities for Humacyte. His deep knowledge of vascular surgery, biology, and the HAV make him the ideal fit.”
Dr. Lawson will be based in Humacyte’s headquarters location at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, reporting directly to Ms. Cox.
In addition to adding Dr. Lawson as CMO, Humacyte recently announced two significant additions to the Company’s Board of Directors, appointing former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius and healthcare executive Dale A. Sander as directors.
About Humacyte
Humacyte, Inc., a privately held company founded in 2004, is a medical research, discovery and development company with clinical and pre-clinical stage investigational products. Humacyte is primarily focused on developing and commercializing a proprietary novel technology based on human tissue-based products for key applications in regenerative medicine and vascular surgery. The company uses its innovative, proprietary platform technology to engineer human, extracellular matrix-based tissues that can be shaped into tubes, sheets, or particulate conformations, with properties similar to native tissues. These are being developed for potential use in many specific applications, with the goal to significantly improve treatment outcomes for many patients, including those with vascular disease and those requiring hemodialysis. The company’s proprietary technologies are designed to create off-the-shelf products that, once approved, can be utilized in any patient. The company web site is www.humacyte.com.
