BOSTON, Feb. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inozyme Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: INZY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases of abnormal mineralization impacting the vasculature, soft tissue and skeleton, today announced the appointment of Deborah Wenkert, M.D. as senior vice president and chief medical officer, effective February 2, 2021.
Dr. Wenkert, a leading pediatric rheumatologist with more than 20 years of experience in metabolic bone and genetic disorders, will direct Inozyme’s clinical development programs as well as scientific communications activities. She succeeds Pedro Huertas, M.D., Ph.D., who has stepped down from his position to pursue other interests.
“It is a great pleasure to welcome Deborah Wenkert to the Inozyme team. Inozyme will benefit from her expertise in developing novel treatments for rare bone disorders as we plan to bring INZ-701 into clinical trials in the first half of 2021. Dr. Wenkert, a pediatrician, has dedicated her career to the care for patients with severe metabolic bone disease. Her experience as a pediatric rheumatologist, researcher, and industry executive will be invaluable as we explore new indications in rare bone disease,” said Axel Bolte, M.Sc., M.B.A., co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Inozyme Pharma. “We thank Dr. Pedro Huertas for his contributions to the company and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Dr. Wenkert previously served as chief medical officer of PreciThera, Inc., where she managed several early clinical development programs in rare bone diseases. Before that, Dr. Wenkert was a medical director in clinical research at Amgen Inc., where she helped design Phase 2 and lead Phase 3 and 4 clinical trials in the inflammation and bone therapeutic areas. Both at Amgen and since, she has facilitated multiple regulatory interactions and submissions.
Dr. Wenkert’s career in academic medicine and clinical research includes more than a decade at St. Louis University School of Medicine, where she was an associate adjunct clinical professor of pediatrics. As associate director of the Center for Metabolic Bone Disease and Molecular Research at Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis, Dr. Wenkert conducted research and provided clinical care to children living with metabolic bone and genetic disorders and has volunteered there since.
“I am excited to join Inozyme’s team as we advance the understanding of devastating and deadly diseases of abnormal mineralization,” said Dr. Wenkert. “Building on strong scientific and preclinical data, Inozyme’s drug development plans are following a clear path to help patients with ENPP1 deficiency as well as ABCC6 deficiency. I look forward to working with the team to achieve these important goals.”
Dr. Wenkert holds a B.A. in Biochemistry from Rice University, and an M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Wenkert is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric rheumatology. She is the author of more than 35 peer-reviewed research publications, more than 100 scientific conference presentations and has authored two book chapters.
About Inozyme Pharma
Inozyme Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: INZY), is a clinical-stage rare disease biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of diseases of abnormal mineralization impacting the vasculature, soft tissue and skeleton. It is well established that two genes, ENPP1 and ABCC6, play key roles in a critical mineralization pathway and that defects in these genes lead to abnormal mineralization. We are initially focused on developing a novel therapy to treat ENPP1 and ABCC6 deficiencies. ENPP1 and ABCC6 deficiencies are chronic, systemic, and progressive diseases occurring over the course of a patient’s lifetime, starting as early as fetal development and spanning into adulthood. ENPP1 and ABCC6 deficiencies are estimated to occur in approximately one in 200,000 and one in 50,000 births, respectively.
Inozyme Pharma was founded in 2017 by Joseph Schlessinger, Ph.D., Demetrios Braddock, M.D., Ph.D., and Axel Bolte, MSc, MBA, with technology developed by Dr. Braddock and licensed from Yale University. For more information, please visit www.inozyme.com.
