John Crowley, longtime chief of uncommon illness drug developer Amicus Therapeutics and board member of the Biotechnology Innovation Group, will grow to be the commerce affiliation's new president and CEO.

BIO mentioned Tuesday that Crowley's appointment will take impact March 4. Crowley will step down from the Amicus board in March earlier than taking over his new duties at BIO.

Crowley's expertise consists of management roles at firms investigating remedies for Pompe illness, a uncommon neuromuscular dysfunction attributable to an inherited enzyme deficiency. In 1998, two of his kids have been identified with the illness. Crowley co-founded Novazyme Prescribed drugs, which was creating an enzyme alternative remedy. Sanofi acquired Novazyme in 2001 and now markets its enzyme alternative remedy, Nexviazyme. That journey was depicted within the 2010 movie “Extraordinary Measures.”

Motivated to develop one other remedy for Pompe, Crowley joined Amicus Therapeutics in 2005 as CEO. Pompe is likely one of the uncommon illnesses on which Amicus centered his analysis. The corporate's first FDA-approved product was Galafold, a remedy for one more enzyme deficiency, Fabry illness. In Pompe, Amicus continued with enzyme alternative with a companion small molecule designed to enhance the absorption of the enzyme into the muscle tissues. The Amicus-developed enzyme Pombiliti and its related small molecule Opfolda have been each authorised by the FDA in September.

Crowley has been a member of the BIO board for greater than ten years. In that position, he has testified earlier than Congress on points such because the affect of the Inflation Discount Act on the biotechnology business. As BIO's new CEO, Crowley will seemingly have extra alternatives to speak with lawmakers. He’ll succeed Rachel King, who served as interim CEO of BIO for the previous yr. King moved into the highest spot following the departure final yr of Michelle McMurry-Heath, who turned the group's first Black feminine CEO in 2020. Particulars about her abrupt departure have been stored confidential, however she reportedly clashed with BIO's board.

Final yr, Crowley stepped down as CEO of Amicus and moved to government chairman. His expertise additionally consists of army service. Crowley served as a commissioned officer within the US Navy Reserve from 2005 to 2016. In a video on BIO's web site, Crowley in contrast main BIO to taking over a brand new mission.

“As BIO's new CEO, I stay up for breaking down obstacles and can tackle my newest mission with the aim, optimism and keenness it deserves,” mentioned Crowley. “As a result of what we do is just too vital to too many individuals.”

Photograph by BIO