GAINESVILLE, Fla., and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: AGTC ), a biotechnology company conducting human clinical trials of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies for the treatment of rare diseases, today announced that the company has been selected as the top company in the 2017 Gator100 awards.
The Gator100, named after the University of Florida's mascot, recognizes and celebrates the 100 fastest-growing businesses in the world that are either owned or led by University of Florida graduates. The annual award is sponsored by the University's Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center and Warrington College of Business. The winning companies were announced earlier today at the Gator100 Awards Gala at the University of Florida.
“We are grateful to the University of Florida for its ongoing support as we have evolved from a small startup to a publicly traded company actively enrolling patients in two critical trials to evaluate gene therapies for rare ocular conditions,” said Sue Washer, President and CEO of AGTC. “We are proud to be recognized alongside so many accomplished and diverse peers who are making a positive impact across a diverse group of leading industries.”
AGTC was originally located within the University of Florida's Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator and the company maintains extensive ties to the University through multiple Sponsored Research Agreements, covering basic research projects and supporting pre-clinical and clinical development for new product candidates.
“We congratulate AGTC for earning the top spot in the 2017 Gator100,” said Jamie Kraft, Director of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center at the Warrington College of Business. “The company’s continued growth reflects its leadership in the development of innovative gene-based therapies that have the potential to dramatically improve lives. We are proud to continue to partner with a company that is making an impact on patients and the biotechnology industry.”
About AGTC
AGTC is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that uses its proprietary gene therapy platform to develop products designed to transform the lives of patients with severe diseases, with an initial focus in ophthalmology. AGTC's lead product candidates are designed to treat inherited orphan diseases of the eye, caused by mutations in single genes that significantly affect visual function and currently lack effective medical treatments.
AGTC's product pipeline includes ophthalmology programs in X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP), achromatopsia, wet age-related macular degeneration, and our optogenetics program with Bionic Sight. AGTC's non-ophthalmology programs include its adrenoleukodystrophy program and its otology program, which is in pre-clinical development and the company expects to advance several otology product candidates into clinical development in the next few years. Each of AGTC's XLRS, XLRP and adrenoleukodystrophy programs are partnered with Biogen. AGTC employs a highly-targeted approach to selecting and designing its product candidates, choosing to develop therapies for indications having high unmet medical need that it believes are clinically feasible and present commercial opportunities. AGTC has a significant intellectual property portfolio and extensive expertise in the design of gene therapy products including capsids, promoters and expression cassettes, as well as, expertise in the formulation, manufacture and physical delivery of gene therapy products.
IR/PR CONTACTS: David Carey (IR) or Danielle Lewis (PR) Lazar Partners Ltd. T: (212) 867-1768 or (212) 843-0211 dcarey@lazarpartners.com or dlewis@lazarpartners.com CORPORATE CONTACTS: Larry Bullock Chief Financial Officer Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation T: (386) 462-2204 lbullock@agtc.com Stephen Potter Chief Business Officer Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation T: (617) 413-2754 spotter@agtc.com
