NEWTON, Mass., April 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNA), a late-stage, biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing first-in-class, oral enzyme therapeutics to treat patients with rare and severe metabolic and kidney disorders, today announced the appointment of Allene Diaz to its Board of Directors.

“We are pleased to welcome Allene to our Board of Directors,” said Louis Brenner, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Allena Pharmaceuticals. “Allene joins our team at an opportune time, as we advance our ongoing Phase 3 URIROX™ program and make progress in our quest to deliver the first therapeutic for patients with enteric hyperoxaluria. Allene has deep expertise developing market access strategies and launching and commercializing novel medicines globally, including several therapies for the treatment of metabolic conditions. We look forward to her counsel and insights as we prepare for expected clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones in the coming years.”

Ms. Diaz is currently the Senior Vice President of Global Commercial Development and Program Strategy and a member of the Executive Leadership Team at TESARO, a GSK company. Ms. Diaz was integrally involved in the recent acquisition of TESARO by GlaxoSmithKline plc in January 2019. Prior to joining TESARO in 2015, Ms. Diaz held a variety of roles in the EMD and Merck Serono divisions of Merck KGaA, including Senior Vice President, Managed Markets, Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Oncology Commercial, and Vice President, Oncology Marketing. She also served as Head of Global Strategic Planning and as the Head of the Global Oncology Business. Earlier in her career, Ms. Diaz held management, operating, sales and medical affairs roles at various biopharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Biogen, Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas. She has contributed to the launch and/or commercialization of multiple successful global brands. Ms. Diaz also currently serves on the board of Erytech Pharma SA, where she serves as a member of the Remuneration and Appointments Committee. She holds a B.S. from Florida State University.

“I am delighted to join the Allena board at this transformative time in the company’s development,” said Ms. Diaz. “With reloxaliase progressing through Phase 3 trials and initial data from URIROX-1 expected later this year, now is the time to increase the understanding and awareness of enteric hyperoxaluria and advance Allena’s plans to deliver this novel medicine to patients. I look forward to sharing my experiences in support of the potential future launch of reloxaliase, while also working closely with the Allena management team to chart the further development of the company’s growing pipeline for underserved patients with severe metabolic and kidney-related disorders.”

About Allena Pharmaceuticals

Allena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing first-in-class, oral enzyme therapeutics to treat patients with rare and severe metabolic and kidney disorders. Allena’s lead product candidate, reloxaliase, is a first-in-class, oral enzyme therapeutic for the treatment of hyperoxaluria, a metabolic disorder characterized by markedly elevated urinary oxalate levels and commonly associated with kidney stones, chronic kidney disease and other serious kidney disorders.