CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FULC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of patients with genetically defined rare diseases, today announced Christopher J. Morabito, M.D. has been appointed Chief Medical Officer, effective May 10, 2021. Dr. Morabito will oversee the development of Fulcrum’s lead programs in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) and select hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease. He brings more than two decades of experience as a physician-scientist, treating patients, driving key research, and advancing clinical programs across a wide range of disease areas.

“Chris brings to Fulcrum an impressive range of industry and operational experience that will provide critical support for advancing our current and future clinical programs,” said Bryan E. Stuart, president and chief executive officer. “His clinical vision and proven leadership, as well as his extensive medical and research experience will be instrumental as we work toward our goal of treating rare diseases at their root cause.”

“It’s an exciting time to be joining Fulcrum, and I’m looking forward to contributing to the FSHD and select hemoglobinopathy trials as well as future clinical programs,” said Dr. Morabito. “Fulcrum is increasingly being recognized for its scientifically rigorous and patient-centric approach to drug development. I am very much looking forward to guiding the clinical development of Fulcrum’s pipeline as we advance promising new treatments for rare diseases.”

Dr. Morabito has extensive leadership experience at biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, advancing drug discovery and clinical programs, including for numerous Phase 1, proof-of-concept and pivotal studies. Most recently, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Cardurion Pharmaceuticals where he oversaw all drug development activities. Prior to Cardurion, he served in several roles at Takeda, including program leadership, pipeline strategy, most recently serving as Senior Vice President and Head of Research and Development for plasma-derived protein therapies. In this role, he established a complete R&D organization and built a pipeline of medicines for patients with rare and complex, difficult-to-manage diseases. Before Takeda, he led a number of programs at Sanofi, from early development stage through regulatory submission. He began his career in industry at Merck & Co, leading development of multiple cardiovascular assets.

Before joining industry, Dr. Morabito was the Chief of the Division of Neonatology at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. He trained initially as a neonatologist at the University of California, San Francisco, where he focused on neonatal cardiology and was an NIH-funded scientist interrogating mechanisms of cardiomyocyte development. He earned his B.A. in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College, and his M.D. from Penn State University College of Medicine.

About Fulcrum Therapeutics
Fulcrum Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of patients with genetically defined rare diseases in areas of high unmet medical need. Fulcrum’s proprietary product engine identifies drug targets which can modulate gene expression to treat the known root cause of gene mis-expression. The company has advanced losmapimod to Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Fulcrum has also advanced FTX-6058, a small molecule designed to increase expression of fetal hemoglobin for the treatment of sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia into Phase 1 clinical development.

Please visit www.fulcrumtx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the “Risk Factors” section, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors, in the Company’s most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

Investors:
Christi Waarich
Director, Investor Relations and
Corporate Communications
617-651-8664
cwaarich@fulcrumtx.com

Stephanie Ascher
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
stephanie.ascher@sternir.com
212-362-1200

Media:
Kaitlin Gallagher
Berry & Company Public Relations
kgallagher@berrypr.com
212-253-8881