Fortress Biotech’s subsidiary, Aevitas Therapeutics, has entered into a sponsored research agreement (“SRA”) with the laboratory of Guangping Gao, Ph.D., at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. 

The SRA will evaluate construct optimization in the development of gene therapies based on Aevitas’ adeno-associated virus (“AAV”) technology.

Aevitas also announced the formation of a scientific advisory board and has named Dr. Gao as its first member. Dr. Gao has more than 20 years of experience in the discovery and characterization of AAV serotypes. He currently serves as Vice President of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, Founding Co-Director of the Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research at UMass Medical School, Founding Director of the Horae Gene Therapy Center & Viral Vector Core, Scientific Director of the UMass Medical School China Program Office and Professor of Microbiology and Physiological Systems.

Lindsay A. Rosenwald, M.D., Fortress Biotech’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said, “Dr. Gao is a world-renowned AAV gene therapy researcher who has made significant contributions to the development of safer and more effective AAV-based treatments. We look forward to leveraging his expertise as part of Aevitas’ newly formed scientific advisory board, and through the research agreement with UMass Medical School, which will enable Aevitas to advance potentially lifelong treatments for complement-mediated diseases toward the clinic.”