Meet Our Founder
James M. Wilson, MD, PhD
Having started his work in gene therapy nearly 40 years ago, Dr. Wilson was recruited to the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and created the first and largest academic-based program in gene therapy. His laboratory discovered a family of viruses from primates called adeno-associated viruses (AAV) that could be engineered to be very effective gene transfer vehicles. These "vectors" have become the technology platform of choice and have set the stage for the recent resurgence of the field of gene therapy.
Dr. Wilson has also been active in facilitating the commercial development of these new gene therapy platforms through the establishment of eight biotechnology companies. His research has been focused on rare inherited diseases, ranging from cystic fibrosis to dyslipidemias to a variety of neurologic disorders and liver metabolic diseases, and on addressing these unmet needs for patients in marginalized populations. To date, his team’s accomplishments include 3 FDA-approved AAV-based gene therapies, 40+ active programs in development, 95 patents on gene therapy-related technologies, and first-in-patient studies in 15 different diseases.
Meet Our CEO
Vatsala Naageshwaran, PhD
Dr. Naageshwaran is an award-winning executive with more than 20 years of experience advancing innovative therapies for patients as well as supporting technical and commercial operations to deliver multimillion-dollar revenues and top-line growth. Dr. Naageshwaran has deep operational and transactional experience in multiple therapeutic areas for small molecules and cell and gene therapies.
Dr. Naageshwaran spent the majority of her career at a major service provider for the life sciences industry, involved in all aspects of decision making to develop the pipeline and global portfolio for multiple business verticals and key market sectors.
Meet Our Team
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Jenny holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Pharmacology and a PhD in Gene Therapeutics from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Jenny joined the University of Pennsylvania’s Gene Therapy Program (GTP) in 2010 and during her nearly 15 years there progressed from being a postdoctoral researcher investigating muscle and liver transduction with gene therapy vectors to being Executive Director overseeing a team of scientists focused on genome editing, oncology, and capsid discovery. Following two previous successful Investigational New Drug (IND) submission, recently she led her team through the development of an AAV-meganuclease-mediated gene insertion approach for the treatment of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency to FDA clearance for iECURE to initiate the OTC-HOPE clinical trial. Jenny is a member of the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT). She is also the first author of more than 15 peer-reviewed scientific papers and is co-inventor on nine patent applications.
Jenny Greig, PhD
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In this role, Ken is responsible for manufacturing and analytics.
Previously, Ken worked at the Gene Therapy Program at the University of Pennsylvania since 2018 serving as Executive Director of process development and manufacturing.
Ken earned a MS degree in chemistry from Clarkson University and an MS and PhD in Bioengineering from Cornell University.
Ken Yancey, PhD
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In this role, Patrick (Pat) is responsible for the Quality function for the company, ensuring compliance with customer expectations, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
Previously, Pat was Head of Quality – Baltimore at Catalent Pharma Solutions in 2024 and Sr. Director Quality, Drug Product Division at Thermo Fisher Scientific from 2018 through 2024.
Pat earned a BA in Biology from Rutgers University and an MBA from Temple University,. He has also achieved American Society for Quality (ASQ) certifications for Pharmaceutical GMP Professional, Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, Quality Auditor and Biomedical Auditor.
Pat McNally, MBA
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In this role, Scott serves as the visionary for the Human Resources function, and oversees all aspects of HR management, including talent acquisition, organizational development, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, payroll, and compliance.
Additionally, Scott will work closely with the executive team to drive HR initiatives and implement strategies that support the company’s mission and enhance employee engagement, retention, and performance.
Previously, Scott held positions in HR at several other prominent companies, including Pharmaron, Pfizer, Merck, and Penn Medicine. Scott has a deep understanding of the life sciences sector, and a proven track record of success in developing and executing scalable HR strategies that support business growth and drive employee engagement.
Scott earned a master’s degree in human resource development from Villanova University and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the HR Certification Institute.