Ambys Medicines Appoints Alan Smith, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ambys Medicines, a cell and gene therapy company focused on advancing novel treatments to restore and regenerate liver function, announced today the appointment of Alan Smith, Ph.D., as the company's new Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Smith brings more than 30 years of biotech industry experience and has done pioneering work to advance cell and gene therapy manufacturing and technology.

"Alan is a highly accomplished leader and thinker, with deep experience in cell and gene therapy manufacturing and technology, and we're thrilled to have him join our team," said Jeffery Tong, Ph.D., Interim CEO and Executive Chairman of the Board at Ambys. "Technological excellence is core to our work at Ambys, as we work to advance novel cell and gene therapy approaches based on our proprietary platforms. Alan's experience will bring deep insights and operational expertise as we advance our efforts, including the initiation of operations from Ambys's new GMP manufacturing facility later this year to meet our clinical supply needs going forward. We are extremely fortunate to have Alan joining the team."

"With a focus on one of the most underserved areas of modern medicine, Ambys is innovating the way we think about and approach treating liver disease," said Dr. Smith. "I am excited to take part in this crucial work and join this world-class team as we strive to bring new therapeutic options to patients with advanced liver disease."

Dr. Smith is a leader in the development of both cell and gene therapies, having roles that have spanned research & development, operations, manufacturing, and quality over a 30-year career. Dr. Smith joins Ambys from Akouos, where he was Chief Technology Officer. Prior to Akouos, he spent many years in various R&D, manufacturing, and quality roles and was most recently Executive Vice President of Technical Operations at Bellicum Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Smith is a published co-author on numerous journal articles and has held Adjunct Professor appointments at Eastern Virginia Medical School, California State University-Long Beach, and Utah State University. Dr. Smith earned his B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1976 and a Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry in 1982.

About Ambys Medicines

Ambys Medicines is a cell and gene therapy company focused on discovering and developing regenerative and restorative therapies for patients with advanced liver disease. Ambys is pioneering the application of cell and gene therapy to meet the urgent need for novel treatments for those suffering from severe acute and chronic liver diseases. Ambys was launched in 2018 by Third Rock Ventures and Takeda Pharmaceuticals and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California. Visit us at ambys.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.