Dimension Therapeutics, a Cambridge biotechnology startup that recently struck a deal worth up to $252 million with the pharmaceutical giant Bayer HealthCare to develop a gene therapy to treat hemophilia, said Tuesday that it has appointed Annalisa Jenkins as its new chief executive.
Jenkins succeeds interim chief executive officer Thomas Beck.
Beck is also an executive partner at Fidelity Biosciences, a founding investor of Dimension and a division of Fidelity Investments, the Boston-based financial services firm. With the appointment of Jenkins, Beck is resuming his full time role at Fidelity Biosciences, Dimension said.
Previously, Jenkins served as executive vice president, head of global research and development for Merck Serono, where she also led global medical affairs and quality. Her resume also includes a stint at Bristol Myers-Squibb.
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Dimension Therapeutics was formed in 2013 by REGENX Biosciences and Fidelity Biosciences. Dimension’s focus is on building its adeno-associated virus (AAV) therapeutic capabilities and advancing multiple gene therapy programs in rare diseases, including a hemophilia, a rare disease that prevents blood from clotting.
The agreement with Bayer was announced in June, a Globe story noted.
Under that agreement, Dimension received a $20 million upfront payment. The agreement also calls for development and commercialization milestone payments that could total $232 million. Bayer will fund clinical trials and handle regulatory submissions. In exchange, it will have worldwide rights to commercialize the resulting therapy, should it go to market, though Bayer would continue to pay royalties to Dimension.
In June, Dimension also announced the closing of a $30 million financing.
Chris Reidy can be reached at reidy@globe.com.