Spark Therapeutics Announces Addition of Robert J. Perez to Board of Directors

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ONCE), a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to challenging the inevitability of genetic disease, today announced that Robert J. Perez, a long-time biopharmaceutical executive, has been named to the company's board of directors.

Mr. Perez has been the founder and managing partner of Vineyard Sound Advisors since 2015, providing advisory services to companies in the biopharmaceutical industry, and is the founder and chairman of Life Science Cares, a nonprofit organization focused on fighting poverty in the greater Boston area. He previously served as the chief executive officer of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. until its acquisition by Merck in 2015. Prior to his tenure as Cubist's CEO, Mr. Perez held multiple roles since joining the company in 2003, including president, chief operating officer and senior vice president of sales and marketing, where he oversaw the launch of Cubicin (daptomycin for injection). He also held roles of varying commercial responsibilities in the industry, specifically leading Biogen's central nervous system (CNS) commercial organization and as a regional business director at Zeneca Pharmaceuticals. He currently serves on the boards of directors at several public and private companies.

"Rob joins our board at an incredibly exciting time as we launch our first one-time gene therapy in the U.S. and continue to build across a portfolio of additional gene therapies," said Jeffrey D. Marrazzo, chief executive officer of Spark Therapeutics. "Rob adds valuable commercial perspective and biopharmaceutical executive experience to our board and is importantly aligned on our aspiration to create a world where no life is limited by genetic disease."

"Spark Therapeutics is pioneering the field of gene therapy research and is well-positioned for long-term growth," said Robert J. Perez. "Joining the board of Spark represents an extraordinary opportunity to contribute to the growth of a leading company in a breakthrough field of scientific innovation for patients with limited options."

About Spark Therapeutics
At Spark Therapeutics, a fully integrated company committed to discovering, developing and delivering gene therapies, we challenge the inevitability of genetic diseases, including blindness, hemophilia and neurodegenerative diseases. We have successfully applied our technology in the first FDA-approved gene therapy in the U.S. for a genetic disease, and currently have three programs in clinical trials, including product candidates that have shown promising early results in patients with hemophilia. At Spark, we see the path to a world where no life is limited by genetic disease. For more information, visit www.sparktx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Investor Contact:
Ryan Asay
Ryan.asay@sparktx.com
(215) 239-6424

Media Contact:
Monique da Silva
Monique.dasilva@sparktx.com
(215) 282-7470