Atara Biotherapeutics Expands Commercial Leadership Team with the Appointment of Manuela Maronati as General Manager, Europe
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATRA), a leading off-the-shelf, allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy company developing novel treatments for patients with cancer, autoimmune and viral diseases, today announced the appointment of Manuela Maronati as General Manager, Europe. Ms. Maronati will report to Dr. Derrell Porter, Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Head, and is the first employee based at Atara’s newly-established European headquarters in Zug, Switzerland.
“Manuela brings extensive European commercial launch and operations experience in the oncology and rare disease areas, and we are excited to have her lead our new European organization,” said Isaac Ciechanover, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Atara Biotherapeutics. “Her proven European commercialization acumen as well as regional and country level general management expertise will play a key role as we prepare for our anticipated launch of tab-cel™, following our planned EU Conditional Marketing Authorization application submission in the first half of 2019.”
Prior to joining Atara, Ms. Maronati was Vice President and General Manager, Italy at PTC Therapeutics, Inc., where she led all functions and launched Translarna™ (ataluren) for the treatment of patients with non-sense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy. While at PTC, she also served as Head of Marketing, Market Access and Patient Advocacy, EMEA with regional responsibility for the pricing, reimbursement and launch of Translarna.
Previously, Ms. Manuela was Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Patient Advocacy, Europe at InterMune, Inc., where she played a key role launching Esbriet® (pirfenidone) and building the European organization from three to more than two hundred employees. Earlier in her career she also held European marketing and sales positions of increasing responsibility at Amgen Oncology. Ms. Manuela is a chartered Chemical Engineer and earned her post-graduate degree from Politecnico di Milano University, Italy and MBA from Bocconi University, Italy.
About Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. (@Atarabio) is a leading T-cell immunotherapy company developing novel treatments for patients with cancer, autoimmune and viral diseases. The Company's off-the-shelf, allogeneic T-cells are bioengineered from donors with healthy immune function and allow for rapid delivery from inventory to patients without a requirement for pretreatment. Atara's T-cell immunotherapies are designed to precisely recognize and eliminate cancerous or diseased cells without affecting normal, healthy cells. Atara's most advanced T-cell immunotherapy in development, tabelecleucel, or tab-cel™ (formerly known as ATA129), is being developed for the treatment of patients with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV+ PTLD) who have failed rituximab, as well as other EBV associated hematologic and solid tumors, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Tab-cel™ is in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of EBV+ PTLD following an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (MATCH study) or solid organ transplant (ALLELE study). Atara is also developing off-the-shelf, allogenic ATA188 and autologous ATA190 T-cell immunotherapies using a complementary targeted antigen recognition technology for specific EBV antigens believed to be important for the potential treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). A Phase 1 clinical study of autologous ATA190 in patients with progressive MS is ongoing. Atara also initiated a multinational Phase 1 ATA188 clinical study in patients with progressive or relapsing-remitting MS in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2017 and in the U.S. in March 2018. Atara's clinical pipeline also includes ATA520 targeting Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) and ATA230 directed against cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains or may imply "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. For example, forward-looking statements include statements regarding: the anticipated launch of tab-cel, Atara’s planned EU Conditional Marketing Authorization application submission, the ability of tab‑cel™ to potentially address the medical need of patients with PTLD following HCT, the timing, enrollment and results of the Company’s clinical trials and the potential advantages of its product candidates. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Atara Biotherapeutics' current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties and actual results, performance or achievements of Atara Biotherapeutics could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Atara Biotherapeutics' annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 27, 2018, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, and subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Atara Biotherapeutics disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.
Esbriet® is a registered trademark of Roche.
INVESTOR & MEDIA CONTACTS:
Investors:
John Craighead, Atara Biotherapeutics
650-410-3012
jcraighead@atarabio.com
Steve Klass, Burns McClellan
212-213-0006 x331
sklass@burnsmc.com
Media:
Justin Jackson, Burns McClellan
212-213-0006 x327
jjackson@burnsmc.com
Released May 1, 2018