Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Former Genzyme exec heads Pervasis Therapeutics

By Mass High Tech Staff

Pervasis Therapeutics Inc., a Cambridge developer of cell-based therapies and devices, has named Frederic Chereau president and CEO of the company. Chereau formerly served as vice president and general manager of Genzyme Cardiovascular, a business unit of Genzyme Corp.

At Genzyme CV, Chereau directed the in-licensing work with Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc.; launched the company’s hypercholesterol product; and grew the cell and gene therapy programs.

Chereau held several positions in the nine years he worked at Genzyme, including chief operating officer of Genzyme and Medtronic Inc. joint-venture, MG Biotherapeutics LLC, a cellular therapy firm focused on cardiac treatment. Prior to Genzyme, he worked for a French medical device retail company, holding sales and marketing roles, according to Pervasis officials.

Chereau graduated with a master’s in business administration from INSEAD and an undergraduate degree in physics from Paris University.

Pervasis develops regenerative therapeutics using a tissue transplant technology that involves placing donor cells into a specially designed gel, or matrix. These cells release proteins that promote healing. The result is a product, called Vascugel, that can be used to heal tissue, or prevent complications after trauma or surgery. The matrix could also limit scar tissue, inflammation and thrombosis.

Pervasis was founded in 2004 by internationally renowned scientists and biotech entrepreneurs in the areas of regenerative medicine, medical devices and tissue transplantation, including Elazer Edelman, Robert Langer, Joseph Vacanti and Helen Nugent.

The company came out of the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at MIT. Edelman performed the early research on Vascugel. He is now the head of the Harvard-MIT Biomedical Engineering Center and a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

In January, Pervasis secured $9.75 million in Series B funding from Flagship Venture Partners, Polaris Venture Partners, Highland Capital Partners, and Musket Research Associates.