Semma Therapeutics CEO and leadership

Bastiano Sanna, Ph.D., joined Vertex in 2019 and is the company’s Executive Vice President, Chief of Cell and Genetic Therapies. In this role, Dr. Sanna is responsible for advancing research, development and manufacturing for all of Vertex’s cell and genetic therapy programs, including hemoglobinopathies, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and type 1 diabetes. He will also oversee the future Vertex Cell and Genetic Therapies research site, which is expected to open in 2021 at Innovation Square in Boston’s Seaport District. Dr. Sanna was previously the CEO of Semma Therapeutics, which was acquired by Vertex in 2019. Under his leadership, Semma’s pioneering work to develop cell therapy treatments for those living with type 1 diabetes significantly advanced. Prior to Semma, Dr. Sanna was Chief Operating Officer at Magenta Therapeutics, where he was responsible for operations, finance, clinical development and program management. Prior to Magenta, Dr. Sanna served on the leadership team of Novartis’ Cell and Gene Therapy Unit as the Global Program Head of Stem Cell Transplant and early programs, where he oversaw clinical, regulatory, CMC and commercial aspects of programs in bone marrow transplant and CAR-T cell therapies. He also served as Global Head of Strategic Planning and Portfolio Management at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, where he was responsible for the global portfolio management of all Novartis’ research programs, from discovery through Phase II across all disease areas. Dr. Sanna received a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the University of Sassari.

Mary Kay Fenton is a COO & CFO at Semma Therapeutics.

David DiGiusto PhD is formally trained as an immunologist and stem cell biologist with over 21 years of academic and 9 years of industrial experience in translational medicine with a focus on blood cells as therapeutic agents. David is an established leader in the field of cell and gene therapy and has made significant contributions to product development and manufacturing for more than a dozen Phase I/II clinical trials. He has led the creation and/or operation of 8 GMP compliant biologics manufacturing facilities including the oversight of process development, manufacturing, quality systems, and regulatory affairs infrastructure. Under his direction, plasmid DNA, CAR T-cells, regulatory T-cells, engineered stem cell grafts and gene modified hematopoietic stem cell products have been developed, manufactured and used in clinical investigations. Dr. DiGiusto is the former the North American Vice President for ISCT (2016-2018), former member of the NIH recombinant DNA advisory committee (RAC) and an independent biotechnology consultant (|25 years). He received his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Colorado.