Thursday, February 16, 2012

Bluebird bio names Genzyme’s Davidson as chief medical officer

By Rodney Brown

Bluebird bio, a Cambridge gene-therapy company, has named Genzyme veteran Dr. David M. Davidson as the company’s new chief medical officer, according to a release.

Most recently, Davidson was the medical leader for Genzyme Corp.’s gene therapy and Pompe disease enzyme replacement therapy programs, and held the title of senior medical director. He has also worked on a number of commercial products, including Fabrazyme and Myozyme/Lumizyme, and was integral in crafting the new drug application that resulted in the approval of Welchol, the release noted.

Prior to Genzyme, Davidson was a medical director at GelTex Pharmaceuticals. Previously, he completed clinical and research fellowships in infectious diseases at the Harvard Longwood Combined Infectious Diseases Program.

Davidson holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and an M.D. from New York University School of Medicine. In addition, he completed an internal medicine internship, residency training and an endocrinology research fellowship at the University of Chicago Hospitals.

Nick Leschly, CEO of bluebird bio, said in a statement that Davidson’s “deep gene therapy and translational medicine experience will help guide bluebird bio’s clinical development efforts and regulatory strategies.”

Last April, bluebird bio took in $15 million from its announced $30 million financing round, and amended a previous financing. The company was previously known as Genetix Pharmaceuticals Inc.

One month prior, bluebird bio entered into a deal, worth up to $4.2 million, with the French Muscular Dystrophy Association, focused on the development of LentiGlobin, a treatment intended for beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia.