John Crowley, the longtime chief of uncommon illness drug developer Amicus Therapeutics and a board member of the Biotechnology Innovation Group, will turn into the commerce group’s new president and CEO.

BIO stated Tuesday that Crowley’s appointment will turn into efficient on March 4. Crowley will step down from the Amicus board in March earlier than taking up his new duties at BIO.

Crowley’s expertise consists of management roles at corporations researching remedies for Pompe illness, a uncommon neuromuscular dysfunction attributable to an inherited enzyme deficiency. In 1998, two of his youngsters had been recognized with the illness. Crowley co-founded Novazyme Prescription drugs, which was creating an enzyme alternative remedy. Sanofi acquired Novazyme in 2001 and now markets its enzyme alternative remedy, Nexviazyme. That journey was depicted within the 2010 film “Extraordinary Measures.”

Motivated to develop one more therapy for Pompe, Crowley joined Amicus Therapeutics as its CEO in 2005. Pompe is one in all a number of uncommon ailments the place Amicus targeted its analysis. The corporate’s first FDA-approved product was Galafold, a therapy for a unique enzyme deficiency known as Fabry illness. In Pompe, Amicus took enzyme alternative additional with an accompanying small molecule designed to enhance muscle uptake of the enzyme. Amicus’s engineered enzyme, Pombiliti, and the accompanying small molecule, Opfolda, had been each authorized by the FDA in September.

Crowley has served on the BIO board for greater than a decade. In that position, he has testified earlier than Congress about issues such because the Inflation Discount Act’s impression on the biotechnology trade. As BIO’s new CEO, Crowley will possible have extra alternatives for interacting with lawmakers. He’ll succeed Rachel King, who has been BIO’s interim CEO for the previous yr. King stepped into the highest spot following the departure final yr of Michelle McMurry-Heath, who in 2020 turned group’s first Black girl CEO. Particulars about her abrupt departure had been stored confidential, however she reportedly had clashes with the BIO board.

Final yr, Crowley stepped down as Amicus CEO and transitioned to government chairman. His expertise consists of additionally navy service. Crowley was a commissioned officer within the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2005 to 2016. In a video posted to BIO’s web site, Crowley in contrast main BIO to taking up a brand new mission.

“As BIO’s new CEO, I look ahead to breaking down limitations and I’ll assume my latest mission with the aim, optimism, and keenness that it deserves,” Crowley stated. “As a result of what we do is just too necessary to too many.”

Photograph by BIO