Sling Therapeutics Appoints Andrew Guggenhime to its Board of Directors

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sling Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on late-stage development of an oral small molecule for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED), today announced the appointment of Andrew Guggenhime, an experienced biopharma executive, to its Board of Directors.

"Andrew is a distinguished and highly respected leader in the biotech industry, and we are pleased to welcome him to our Board of Directors. He brings unparalleled operational, strategic and financial experience, all of which will be critical as we continue to gain momentum and advance our clinical programs," said Ryan Zeidan, Ph.D., President and CEO of Sling. "We look forward to benefitting from his contributions as we further bolster our efforts in anticipation of key milestones with our lead candidate, linsitinib, which is currently in a Phase 2b clinical trial and has the potential to be the first oral treatment for thyroid eye disease."  

"I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to Andrew as he joins Sling at such an exciting moment in our journey," said Faheem Hasnain, Chairman of the Board. "Andrew's career exemplifies a deep commitment to advancing therapies for serious and challenging diseases, aligning perfectly with our mission. I am confident his expertise will be valuable as we progress toward our goals and to deliver for patients."

Mr. Guggenhime has nearly three decades of experience in the biotechnology and healthcare industries. He currently serves as President and Chief Financial Officer of Vaxcyte, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed biotechnology company developing novel vaccines for bacterial infections, where he was instrumental in leading the company's IPO in June 2020 and five subsequent follow-on equity offerings, raising an aggregate of over $4 billion in gross proceeds. Prior to joining Vaxcyte, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Dermira, Inc. through its acquisition by Eli Lilly and Company in February 2020. During his tenure at Dermira, Mr. Guggenhime successfully led a series of private, public, and alternative financings, and helped scale the company, including through its IPO and pivotal transition into a commercial-stage organization. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer at several biotech companies including Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired by Gilead Sciences, Inc., and Facet Biotech Corporation, which was acquired by Abbott Laboratories. Prior to joining Facet Biotech, he served as Chief Financial Officer for Neoforma, Inc., which was acquired by Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC. Mr. Guggenhime began his career in financial services at Merrill Lynch & Co. and Wells Fargo & Company. He earned his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and his BA in international politics and economics from Middlebury College. Mr. Guggenhime also serves on the Board of Directors of Caribou Biosciences.

"I was drawn to Sling by its compelling clinical program which has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of thyroid eye disease, an underserved market for which existing treatment options are generally invasive," said Mr. Guggenhime. "I believe Sling has the opportunity to potentially transform the treatment of this disease through its lead candidate, linsitinib, which is an oral treatment designed to offer a more convenient and patient-centric option. I'm highly encouraged by the impactful work Sling is doing and look forward to contributing in this next stage of growth."

About Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)
TED is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects 70,000 people in the U.S. per year and has a similar prevalence in Europe. The disease is caused by dysfunction in the IGF-1R signaling pathway leads to a prevalence of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor autoantibodies (TSHR-Abs) that drive excess fibrous tissue growth behind the eyes. This inflammation can push the eyes forward or cause the eyes and eyelids to become red and swollen. As the disease progresses it can lead to pain, eye bulging, and double vision. TED predominantly affects women, and most frequently affects people with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease. Current standard of care typically involves invasive procedures with potential adverse events like loss of hearing, hyperglycemia or menstrual changes.

About Sling Therapeutics
Sling Therapeutics, Inc., is a biopharmaceutical company focused on late-stage development of an oral small molecule for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). The company's lead product candidate, linsitinib, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2b clinical trial for the treatment of TED. Based on extensive preclinical and clinical data, linsitinib offers the potential of a convenient oral, small molecule that could significantly reduce the treatment burden for people living with TED while improving patient care by physicians and hospitals. For more information visit https://www.slingtx.com/.

Investor and Media Contact:
Argot Partners
(212) 600-1902
[email protected]

SOURCE Sling Therapeutics, Inc.