SonoThera Appoints Adam Shaywitz Chief Medical Officer

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SonoThera announced its appointment of Adam Shaywitz, MD, PhD, as the biotechnology company’s new Chief Medical Officer. Shaywitz previously held the same position at BridgeBio Gene Therapy.

Overall, Shaywitz brings two decades of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry to this role. SonoThera says this includes both early- and late-stage drug development, particularly in genetic medicine, rare diseases, and novel therapeutic platforms.

At BridgeBio, Shaywitz’s team advanced adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies for monogenic conditions like congenital adrenal hyperplasia and Canavan disease.

Regarding Canavan disease, with BridgeBio, Shaywitz helped secure U.S. FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation for investigational therapy BBP-812.

SonoThera Benefits from Experience

Those qualifications fit in well with SonoThera, which develops next-generation genetic medicines to address root causes of disease. The company is further developing an ultrasound-mediated, nonviral genetic platform to deliver medicines that are safe, targeted, and redosable.

Among the genetic medicines SonoThera is advancing are ones for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

“SonoThera’s approach has the potential to overcome fundamental delivery challenges that have limited the reach of genetic medicines,” Shaywitz said. “I am excited to … help translate this technology into meaningful new treatment options for patients.”

New Chief Medical Officer Applauded

Welcoming Shaywitz to the SonoThera team, Co-Founder and CEO Kenneth Greenberg, PhD.

“Adam brings … clinical development expertise, experience in genetic medicines, and a track record of advancing innovative science,” Greenberg said. “As we advance our pipeline toward the clinic, his translational and clinical expertise will be instrumental in shaping development strategy.”

Before his tenure at BridgeBio, Shaywitz spent five years at BioMarin Pharmaceutical. There, he held roles of increasing responsibility, culminating with Executive Medical Director. Earlier, he was Medical Director at Amgen.