Prothena Announces Appointment of Hideki Garren, MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Garren’s extensive expertise and successful track record of advancing neurology and rare disease programs through late-stage development, registration and launch supports Company’s transition to a fully-integrated R&D and commercial business

DUBLIN, Ireland, April 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prothena Corporation plc (NASDAQ:PRTA), a late-stage clinical company with expertise in protein dysregulation and a pipeline of investigational therapeutics for rare peripheral amyloid and neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the appointment of Hideki Garren, MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Garren will lead the clinical and medical organizations to advance Prothena’s clinical pipeline.

“Hideki brings valuable experience and expertise to our team as we look ahead towards transitioning to a fully integrated research, development and commercial biotechnology company,” said Gene Kinney, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer. “His experience leading several late-stage development programs in neurology and rare disease indications through registration and launch is particularly relevant as we advance our pipeline of programs in these areas. We are delighted to welcome him to the team as we prepare for our next stage of growth.”

“Prothena’s impressive scientific platform has advanced a rich pipeline of potentially transformational therapeutics, including several programs that have demonstrated benefit on meaningful clinical endpoints in diseases with highly significant unmet medical needs,” commented Dr. Garren. “I am excited to join the company during this dynamic period of growth and look forward to working as part of this exceptional team with a rich scientific heritage.”

Dr. Garren joins Prothena from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Roche) & Genentech Inc. where he was Vice President, Global Head of Neuroimmunology, leading Roche’s Neuroimmunology franchise team. A neurologist by training, Dr. Garren was most recently responsible for the Phase 3 clinical programs for Ocrevus for Multiple Sclerosis and Enspryng for Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Garren also held the role of Executive Director, Translational Medicine Expert in Neuroscience with Novartis Pharma. Prior to Novartis, Dr. Garren served as Co-Founder, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, and Chief Operating Officer of Bayhill Therapeutics, Inc., a company he started in 2002 based on a technology platform he co-invented while at Stanford University.

Dr. Garren earned his Bachelor of Science from the California Institute of Technology and his MD and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He completed his internship in internal medicine at UCLA, and his residency in neurology and fellowship in neuroimmunology at Stanford University.

About Prothena

Prothena Corporation plc is a late-stage clinical company with expertise in protein dysregulation and a pipeline of novel investigational therapeutics with the potential to change the course of devastating rare peripheral amyloid and neurodegenerative diseases. Fueled by its deep scientific expertise built over decades of research, Prothena is advancing a pipeline of therapeutic candidates for a number of indications and novel targets for which its ability to integrate scientific insights around neurological dysfunction and the biology of misfolded proteins can be leveraged. Prothena’s pipeline includes both wholly-owned and partnered programs being developed for the potential treatment of diseases including AL amyloidosis, ATTR amyloidosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and a number of other neurodegenerative diseases.

Contacts:

Media
Ellen Rose, Head of Communications
650-922-2405, ellen.rose@prothena.com

Investors
Jennifer Zibuda, Director, Investor Relations & Communications
650-837-8535, jennifer.zibuda@prothena.com