East Norriton, PA (April 30, 2007) – Tengion, Inc., announced today that Dr. Sharon Presnell, an accomplished and commercially experienced scientist and organizational leader in bringing new products from inception to commercialization, has joined the Company as Vice President for Regenerative Medicine and Biology. She will lead Tengion's programs to discover and develop transformational regenerative neo-organs and tissue products to address compelling medical needs.
Before joining Tengion, Dr. Presnell was a scientific leader at the Becton Dickinson research facility in Research Triangle Park, N.C., where she was responsible for the growth and leadership of a 50 person, multi-disciplinary group in cell and tissue engineering. During her tenure, her team discovered and developed a portfolio of products and technologies from inception to first commercial application, including BD's Discovery Platform(TM), a bioinformatics-driven platform for the directed growth and differentiation of primary human cells used in drug discovery and therapy.
Dr. Presnell's career in academics and industry has consistently been focused on the study of human cells and disease mechanisms, with an emphasis on discoveries that have the potential to directly impact human health. She received her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular pathology in 1995 from the Medical College of Virginia, and completed post-doctoral studies in liver and prostate biology at the University of North Carolina, where she served on the faculty, conducting stem cell research.
She has more than 20 publications in the cell biology field and is an inventor on multiple patents related to commercial use of human cells. Previously, she was an adjunct faculty member at Duke University and has served on the executive board of directors of the eastern regional chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Dr. Presnell is located at Tengion's state-of-the-art research laboratories and pilot manufacturing facility in Winston Salem, North Carolina, where Tengion is creating the first neo-bladder constructs for a previously announced Phase II clinical trial. Dr. Tim Bertram, senior vice president of science and technology at Tengion, said: "Dr. Sharon Presnell has demonstrated the skills to build on our vision and create valuable products in the field of regenerative medicine. She will provide dynamic leadership to our Company, accelerating our efforts to discover and develop new regenerative medical products." "We also look forward to her playing a central role in our productive collaboration with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and other outside scientific organizations to develop transformational products using our platform of regenerative medicine technology."
Dr. Presnell said: "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the world class team at Tengion as I share their focus on bringing transformational regenerative medicine products to patients with compelling unmet medical needs." "I especially look forward to working with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a true pioneering institution in the field. They have been excellent collaborators as we bring innovative new products from bench to bedside."
Tengion announced in January 2007 that it has initiated a Phase II multi-center clinical study for its Autologous urinary Neo-Bladder construct. The study is being conducted in pediatric patients with spina bifida who have failing bladders that predispose them to a risk of kidney failure and incontinence even when they receive optimal medical therapy.
About Tengion
Tengion Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company, is a leader in developing autologous neo-organs and tissues, such as bladders, that are derived from the patient's own (autologous) cells. Tengion's proprietary approach to regenerative medicine has the potential to enable people with organ and tissue failure to lead healthier lives without donor transplants or the side effects of current therapies. Headquartered in East Norriton, PA, Tengion also has research and pilot manufacturing facilities located in Winston-Salem, NC. For more information, visit Tengion online at: http://www.tengion.com.