X4 Pharmaceuticals Announces Industry Veteran Dr. Christophe Arbet-Engels to Join as Chief Medical Officer

BOSTON, Aug. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Nasdaq: XFOR), a leader in the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics to benefit patients with diseases of the immune system, today announced that Christophe Arbet-Engels, MD, PhD, will be joining the company as its new Chief Medical Officer, bringing more than 25 years’ experience in strategic global drug development across a wide range of therapeutic areas including rare and orphan diseases.

“We are thrilled to welcome Christophe to our leadership team at this exciting time at X4,” said Paula Ragan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of X4 Pharmaceuticals. “Christophe brings extensive experience in drug development, spanning research, clinical development, launch, and commercialization across global markets, which should further enable our growth as we near the submission of our first U.S. New Drug Application for mavorixafor in WHIM syndrome, prepare for our first potential U.S. commercial launch in 2024, and continue clinical development of mavorixafor in certain chronic neutropenic disorders. We would also like to thank Dr. Murray Stewart, who has been serving as our Interim Chief Medical Officer, for his exceptional contributions and his leadership. We look forward to his continued strategic guidance as an ongoing member of our Board of Directors.”

Dr. Arbet-Engels also commented on his appointment: “I am honored to have been appointed to the role of CMO at X4 and excited to help advance the company’s mission to bring innovative therapies to patients with rare diseases of the immune system. The company has made great progress and I look forward to adding to its continued forward momentum. I believe mavorixafor has great potential to improve the lives of a significant number of patients given its oral profile and immune-modulating mechanism of action and I look forward to being an integral part of the team maximizing that opportunity for the benefit of patients in need across the world.”

Dr. Arbet-Engels previously served as Chief Medical Officer at several life science companies, including Neurogastrx, Millendo Therapeutics, and Poxel Pharmaceuticals, where he provided research and development leadership, advancing multiple candidates from pre-clinical through to late-stage clinical trials. Prior to these roles, he held a variety of senior medical and clinical positions at Biogen, Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck Research Laboratories, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, and Ligand Pharmaceuticals, where he led clinical development and registration, launch and lifecycle management efforts for several new medicines, including blockbuster therapies such as LANTUS® and JARDIANCE®. Dr. Arbet-Engels has also served in educational roles at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, University of Paris VI, and the Assistance Publique, Hospitals of Paris, and currently serves as a Member of the Board of Tutors in Biochemical Sciences at Harvard University. He received his MD and PhD in internal medicine/endocrinology-metabolism from the University of Paris, France, and completed his MBA at Rutgers University.

About X4 Pharmaceuticals

X4 Pharmaceuticals is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapies for people with diseases of the immune system. Our lead clinical candidate is mavorixafor, a small molecule antagonist of chemokine receptor CXCR4 that is being developed as an oral, once-daily therapy. Due to its ability to increase the mobilization of mature, functional white blood cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream, we believe that mavorixafor has the potential to provide therapeutic benefit across a variety of chronic neutropenic disorders, including WHIM (Warts, Hypogammaglobulinemia, Infections, and Myelokathexis) syndrome, a rare, primary immunodeficiency. Following announcement of positive top-line and secondary endpoint data from our global, pivotal, 4WHIM Phase 3 clinical trial, we are currently preparing a U.S. regulatory submission seeking approval of oral, once-daily mavorixafor in the treatment of people aged 12 years and older with WHIM syndrome. We are also currently evaluating mavorixafor in a Phase 2 clinical trial in people with certain chronic neutropenic disorders following positive results from a Phase 1b clinical trial of mavorixafor in people with congenital, idiopathic, or cyclic neutropenia. We continue to leverage our insights into CXCR4 and immune system biology at our corporate headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts and at our research center of excellence in Vienna, Austria. For more information, please visit our website at .

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements may be identified by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “target,” or other similar terms or expressions that concern X4's expectations, strategy, plans, or intentions. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the clinical and regulatory progress of X4’s pipeline development programs, including the anticipated New Drug Application submission for mavorixafor for the treatment of WHIM syndrome and the timing thereof; the potential therapeutic benefits of mavorixafor; and X4’s expectations with respect to future commercialization activities and the timing thereof. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs. Actual events or results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained herein, including, without limitation, on account of uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of clinical trials and clinical development; the risk that trials and studies may not have satisfactory outcomes; the risk that the outcomes of preclinical studies or earlier clinical trials will not be predictive of later clinical trial results; the risk that initial or interim results from a clinical trial may not be predictive of the final results of the trial or the results of future trials; the potential adverse effects arising from the testing or use of mavorixafor or other product candidates; the risk that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) may not accept a regulatory submission for mavorixafor; the risk that the FDA may not approve mavorixafor for WHIM syndrome; the risks related to X4’s ability to raise additional capital; the impacts of general macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions, rising inflation, and uncertain credit and financial markets on X4’s business, clinical trials, and financial position; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in X4’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 4, 2023, and in other filings X4 makes with the SEC from time to time. X4 undertakes no obligation to update the information contained in this press release to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Daniel Ferry (investors)

Managing Director, LifeSci Advisors



(617) 430-7576

Brett Whelan (media)

LifeSci Communications