Intrexon Corp., a biology engineering and industrialization firm is refocusing the company on healthcare and changing its name to Precigen, Inc. Helen Sabzevari, PhD, has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Precigen, which will encompass Intrexon’s wholly-owned healthcare subsidiaries Precigen, ActoBio Therapeutics, Exemplar Genetics, and its majority interest in Triple-Gene, as well as interests in therapeutics and therapeutic platforms from companies not controlled by Intrexon. 
 
Randal J. Kirk has been appointed executive chairman. Additionally, Intrexon has executed agreements to sell its smaller non-healthcare businesses for $65.2 million plus certain contingent payment rights and entered an agreement to sell $35 million of its common stock.

Robert Shapiro, lead independent board member of Intrexon said, “Today’s announced actions mark important steps toward Intrexon becoming a dedicated healthcare company advancing technologies and products that address complex healthcare challenges. Thanks to RJ’s vision and Dr. Sabzevari’s strong execution and leadership, our healthcare business has made great progress and the board is confident of the company’s future prospects as a healthcare-focused company led by Helen, whom we have come to know as a highly strategic, driven and results-oriented leader.”
 
Dr. Sabzevari, who joined Intrexon in 2017 and has served as president of Precigen for the past two years, brings extensive expertise in the research and development of immunotherapies as well as experience translating novel treatments from preclinical stage into the clinic. Under Dr. Sabzevari’s leadership, the healthcare-focused organization will seek to advance novel therapies that harness transformational approaches in gene and cell therapies, microbe-based biotherapeutics, and regenerative medicine. 
 
“I am honored to work with our highly experienced board and talented healthcare teams to advance our portfolio of clinical and preclinical assets that we believe will deliver significantly better options to patients and solve unmet needs in healthcare,” said Dr. Sabzevari.  “I would like to thank RJ for his leadership in assembling a world-class platform of innovative biotechnologies that has laid the foundation for a focused pipeline of precision medicines which I believe have a high probability of success.  We look forward to building value for all of our stakeholders in the coming years as we bring life-changing medicines to patients.”
 
Two non-healthcare businesses will remain with the company: the methane bioconversion business, MBP Titan LLC, and the established bovine genetics company, Trans Ova Genetics. The company will continue to evaluate strategic and operational options for these businesses.