MILAN, Sept. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AAVantgarde Bio (AAVantgarde), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering therapies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) with clinical programs in Usher syndrome type 1B and Stargardt disease enabled by its proprietary dual-AAV platform designed to overcome the AAV cargo capacity limit, today announced the appointment of Megan Zoschg Canniere, Pharm.D., as Chief Regulatory & Quality officer. Dr. Zoschg Canniere joins the Company's leadership team to support the continued advancement of AAVantgarde's clinical-stage pipeline and regulatory strategy and will report to Dr. Natalia Misciattelli, Chief Executive Officer.
"Megan brings exceptional regulatory and drug development expertise, with deep experience in gene therapy and rare diseases, as well as an outstanding track record of successfully advancing innovative programs through complex regulatory pathways," said Dr. Natalia Misciattelli, Chief Executive Officer of AAVantgarde. "As AAVantgarde progresses its clinical programs toward late-stage clinical development, her extensive experience in regulatory strategy, health authority interactions and clinical development will be invaluable. We are delighted to welcome Megan to our leadership team at this important stage of the Company's growth."
"I am excited to join AAVantgarde at such an important stage in the Company's development," said Megan Zoschg Canniere, Pharm.D., Chief Regulatory & Quality officer at AAVantgarde. "AAVantgarde has built a strong clinical pipeline addressing significant unmet needs in inherited retinal diseases, and I look forward to working with the team to advance these programs through clinical development and towards regulatory approval, ultimately bringing potentially transformative therapies to patients."
Prior to joining AAVantgarde, Ms. Zoschg Canniere spent five years at Spark Therapeutics (Roche Group), where she held senior leadership positions, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. At Spark, she led clinical development and regulatory strategies across multiple programs and trials, including innovative gene therapy development approaches and interactions with health authorities across regions. Previously, Dr. Zoschg Canniere spent 15 years at Roche/Genentech, where she led global regulatory strategies and health authority interactions across neuroscience and rare disease programs, including gene therapy. Earlier in her career, she held regulatory leadership positions at Warner Chilcott, Roche and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
About AAVantgarde Bio
AAVantgarde is a clinical stage, biotechnology company advancing best-in-class therapies for patients with inherited retinal diseases. The company's lead programs target Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa due to Usher syndrome type 1B, two severe, inherited retinal diseases with no approved treatments. With a strong foundation in translational science and a commitment to clinical excellence, AAVantgarde is working to bring transformative therapies to patients. For more information, please visit: www.aavantgarde.com
Media Contact:
Barnaby Pickering - Director, 59 North Communications
Barnaby.Pickering@59north.bio
