Second Genome, Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on the development of novel therapeutics identified through microbiome science, today announced the appointment of Karim Dabbagh, Ph.D., as president, chief executive officer, and a member of the company’s board of directors. Dr. Dabbagh has served as the company’s chief scientific officer since 2014 and replaces Glenn Nedwin, Ph.D., who retired from Second Genome.
“Karim is the perfect executive to take the helm at Second Genome at this next stage of growth. From being absolutely instrumental in building a robust and integrated drug discovery platform that has generated a deep pipeline of novel therapeutic compounds, to his expertise in advancing robust R&D pipelines, he has the right blend of experience to advance programs through clinical studies.”
said Corey Goodman, Ph.D., chairman of the board of directors and co-founder of Second Genome.
“This is a pivotal time for Second Genome to achieve success as our lead compound, SGM-1019, nears Phase 2 trials in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and our diverse and exciting pipeline of novel therapeutics advances in additional disease areas. Our entire team, which recently expanded to include Anu Hoey and Matt McClure leading our business and medical functions, will continue to strive to bring new treatments to patients in need.”
Added Dr. Dabbagh.
Dr. Dabbagh has nearly two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Prior to his tenure at Second Genome, he was vice president and head of the immunoregulation department and external R&D innovation for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases at Pfizer. While at Pfizer, he established a broad portfolio of preclinical and clinical stage drug candidates in immune-related diseases as well as strategic collaborations and investments. Before that, he co-founded Modus BioMedicine, a start-up biotechnology company focused on treatments for transplantation and autoimmune disease after spending nine years at Roche Pharmaceuticals in inflammation discovery research. Dr. Dabbagh received his doctorate in biochemistry from University College, London, and his bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from the Imperial College, London. He completed postdoctoral fellowships at the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of California, San Francisco, and at Stanford University where he worked on elucidating the role played by the microbiome in the hygiene hypothesis.
Dr. Nedwin retired from Second Genome on September 11, 2018. Dr. Goodman said,
“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Glenn for his excellent leadership over the course of his tenure. He went above and beyond to establish the microbiome as an incredible resource for partners and for drug discovery, bringing awareness to a previously nascent field, all the while creating an incredible corporate culture worthy of a recent award for Great Place to Work®.”