Christopher C. LeMasters Joins Promosome LLC As CEO

NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, July 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Promosome LLC ("Promosome"), a privately-held synthetic biology company focusing on a pipeline of first-in-class biotherapeutics and biosimilars which incorporate its unique, mRNA-based bioproduction tools, has appointed Christopher C. LeMasters as chief executive officer. 

Mr. LeMasters joins Promosome after founding and serving in senior management positions at several San Diego-based therapeutics companies.  Most recently, he was co-founder and chief business officer of Tragara Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage cancer therapeutics company.  Mr. LeMasters also served as co-founder and chief business officer of Cabrellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he negotiated its acquisition by Pharmion Corporation for $104 million, and as vice president, corporate development of Conforma Therapeutics, where he negotiated its acquisition by Biogen IDEC for $250 million.  Mr. LeMasters also worked in the corporate business development group at Eli Lilly & Company and was responsible for the successful negotiation of numerous partnerships and licenses across a range of therapeutic areas.  Earlier in his career, he was a management consultant with Coopers & Lybrand Consulting and an operational auditor with Owens Corning.  

Mr. LeMasters currently serves as a board member of Aarden Pharmaceuticals, where he is also a co-founder, and as a board member of the Hoosier Cancer Research Network, a clinical research organization.

Regarding his new role, Mr. LeMasters said, "It is a privilege to join such a world-class team of innovators and lead the company's development of its expanding biotherapeutics pipeline.  I am deeply impressed with the continued advancement of Promosome's proprietary mRNA engineering technologies and pleased with how well this platform translates into important human therapeutics."

William J. Gedale, Chairman of Promosome's Board of Managers said, "Chris has a compelling combination of Big Pharma and small company experience, which is beneficial in managing people and operations, as well as deal-making experience with large, global industry players.  His discernible enthusiasm for leading Promosome into its next phase of growth is already having a positive impact on the organization."

Mr. LeMasters will report to the Board of Managers and become a member of board.  He will join John F. Manzello, who will continue to serve as president and member of the board.  All members of senior management are looking forward to accelerating Promosome's biotherapeutics program while continuing to expand the commercialization of Promosome's bioproduction tools in non-mammalian manufacturing platforms. 

About Promosome LLC

Promosome is a synthetic biology company founded to commercialize the discoveries of Nobel Laureate, Dr. Gerald M. Edelman, and colleague Dr. Vincent P. Mauro of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in La Jolla, California. Leveraging Drs. Edelman and Mauro's unparalleled expertise in the areas of mRNA translation. Promosome is initiating a pipeline of proprietary therapeutics incorporating these mRNA translation-based advances.  Applications of Promosome's unique synthetic biology tools are suitable for all types of proteins including monoclonal antibodies as well as for nucleic acid therapeutics.  In 2014, Promosome signed a licensing and technology transfer agreement which granted GE Healthcare Life Sciences exclusive rights to Promosome's innovative suite of mRNA translation-based tools for increasing protein expression in mammalian cell culture.  Under the terms of agreement, Promosome receives milestone payments for technology transfer and subsequent royalties upon commercialization.  Promosome offers similar licensing opportunities for biotherapeutic and bioindustrial companies seeking to improve expression efficiencies in non-mammalian cell line development or cell-free manufacturing.  The company operates its laboratory facility in San Diego, CA and maintains offices in New York, NY and Shrewsbury, Massachusetts where it has significant relationships.

For more information on Promosome, please visit www.promosome.com.

Erin Sklar
Promosome LLC
10865 Road to the Cure, Suite 168
San Diego, CA   92121
+1-858-622-1026, ext. 1004

SOURCE Promosome LLC

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http://www.promosome.com