Dutch RNA specialist ProQR Therapeutics has hired eye disease specialist Naveed Shams, M.D., Ph.D., as its new chief scientific officer.
Shams comes to the biotech, which has its base in the Netherlands and offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after a decade at ophthalmology-focused Santen Therapeutics, most recently as its CSO and head of global R&D.
Now, he’s leaving Santen behind to strike up a new CSO role at ProQR, which last year pivoted more toward its eye disease pipeline after spinning out its early-phase oligonucleotide treatment for a rare inherited skin disorder to form a new company, Wings Therapeutics.
Left over is its focus on genetic eye diseases such as Leber congenital amaurosis 10, Usher syndrome and autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.
Shams will now be heading up these programs, including “strategic direction, oversight, and execution for ProQR’s research and early development efforts,” according to the biotech.
He replaces David Rodman, M.D., “who is departing ProQR” but will “continue to provide strategic advisory services to ProQR during a transition period.”
Before Santen, Shams spent a stint at Roche’s Genentech, where he helped establish the biopharma’s ophthalmology development group and led the development and approval of Lucentis, one of the biggest-selling eye drugs in the world.
“Naveed is a highly regarded leader who brings extensive experience in preclinical, translational, and clinical development of ophthalmic medicines. I am excited that he will be leading our research and early development programs in support of our mission to develop a portfolio of medicines for patients with inherited retinal diseases that currently have no treatment,” said Daniel de Boer, CEO at ProQR.