Precision BioSciences Strengthens Executive Leadership to Support Clinical Growth and Advance Gene Editing Pipeline
Precision BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: DTIL), a clinical-stage gene editing company focused on developing transformative in vivo gene editing therapies for serious diseases with significant unmet medical needs, has announced a series of strategic leadership appointments designed to support the company’s next phase of growth. The executive changes reflect Precision’s continued evolution as it advances multiple clinical-stage programs and expands its research capabilities through its proprietary ARCUS® gene editing platform.
The appointments, which become effective on August 1, 2026, include the promotion of two senior executives into expanded leadership roles while reinforcing the company’s clinical development organization with the addition of experienced physician leaders. Together, these changes are intended to strengthen operational execution, accelerate clinical development, and position the company for future growth as it advances its pipeline of potentially curative gene editing therapies.
Leadership Realignment Supports Company Growth
As Precision BioSciences transitions from an organization primarily focused on research into one executing multiple late-stage development activities, the company has aligned its executive leadership structure to better support its expanding clinical operations.
The most notable change is the promotion of Alex Kelly, who currently serves as Chief Financial Officer, to the newly established role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his expanded position, Kelly will oversee all major customer-facing and operational functions across the organization, helping coordinate commercial readiness, corporate strategy, operational execution, and cross-functional collaboration.
The creation of the Chief Operating Officer role reflects the increasing complexity of Precision’s clinical development activities and its commitment to building an organizational structure capable of supporting multiple clinical programs simultaneously.
At the same time, Naresh Tanna, previously Vice President of Investor Relations and Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer, has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer. In his new position, Tanna will assume responsibility for corporate finance, financial reporting, strategic planning, capital management, and investor relations.
These executive transitions are expected to provide continuity while leveraging leaders who already possess deep institutional knowledge of the company’s strategy, operations, and long-term objectives.
Alex Kelly Takes on Expanded Responsibilities
Since joining Precision BioSciences, Alex Kelly has played an important role in guiding the company’s financial strategy and supporting its operational development. His promotion to Chief Operating Officer represents a natural progression as the company prepares for additional clinical milestones and future commercialization opportunities.
As COO, Kelly will oversee key operational areas that directly influence the company’s ability to execute its clinical strategy efficiently. His responsibilities will include coordinating organizational priorities across departments while ensuring that clinical, operational, financial, and strategic initiatives remain aligned.
The newly created position is expected to enhance decision-making across the organization by integrating operational planning with broader corporate objectives.
Kelly’s experience managing financial strategy during Precision’s clinical expansion provides a strong foundation for overseeing increasingly complex operational activities as multiple gene editing programs continue advancing through clinical development.
Naresh Tanna Named Chief Financial Officer
Stepping into the role of Chief Financial Officer, Naresh Tanna brings extensive experience in corporate communications, investor relations, financial strategy, and executive leadership.
Prior to this promotion, Tanna served as Vice President of Investor Relations and Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer, where he played an integral role in communicating Precision’s corporate strategy to investors while supporting executive leadership across a wide range of business initiatives.
As CFO, he will now oversee:
- Corporate finance
- Financial planning and analysis
- SEC reporting and compliance
- Capital allocation
- Investor relations
- Strategic financial initiatives
His familiarity with the company’s operations and long-term development plans is expected to facilitate a seamless transition into the new leadership position.
Clinical Development Leadership Remains Strong
While operational leadership responsibilities evolve, Precision’s clinical development organization continues under the direction of Cindy Atwell, who remains Chief Development Officer.
Atwell continues to oversee clinical development activities for the company’s two lead clinical-stage programs:
- PBGENE-HBV
- PBGENE-DMD
These investigational therapies represent two of Precision’s most advanced pipeline assets and are designed to address diseases with substantial unmet medical need through in vivo gene editing.
Maintaining continuity within clinical development ensures ongoing focus on executing current trials while preparing future regulatory strategies.
Strengthening Clinical Expertise
To further support its expanding clinical portfolio, Precision has also recruited two new physician leaders with extensive expertise in infectious diseases and muscular dystrophy.
These appointments strengthen the company’s medical leadership in two therapeutic areas that align directly with its ongoing clinical programs.
The physicians will work closely with the clinical development organization to support:
- Clinical trial execution
- Medical oversight
- Patient safety
- Regulatory interactions
- Data interpretation
- Future development planning
Adding experienced clinical specialists reflects Precision’s commitment to maintaining high scientific and medical standards as its programs progress through increasingly advanced stages of development.
Expanded Scientific Leadership
Another important component of the organizational update involves the expanded responsibilities of Cassie Gorsuch, Ph.D., who serves as Chief Scientific Officer.
Under the updated leadership structure, Dr. Gorsuch now oversees all research activities across the company.
Her responsibilities include leadership of:
- Discovery research
- Translational science
- Clinical-stage translational programs
- Next-generation gene editing technologies
- Future pipeline development
By consolidating research leadership under a single executive, Precision aims to strengthen integration between early scientific discovery and clinical development.
This approach allows insights generated during ongoing clinical studies to inform future platform innovations while supporting continuous improvement of ARCUS-based therapies.
Focus on ARCUS Gene Editing Technology
Precision BioSciences’ development strategy centers around its proprietary ARCUS® gene editing platform, a highly specific genome editing technology designed to make precise DNA modifications.
Unlike traditional gene therapies that often rely on adding functional genes, ARCUS technology is engineered to directly edit disease-causing genetic sequences within the patient’s own cells.
The company believes this approach has the potential to deliver durable therapeutic benefits following a single treatment while minimizing unintended genetic changes.
Precision continues to expand ARCUS applications across multiple therapeutic areas where precise genome editing could address the underlying cause of disease.
Advancing PBGENE-HBV
One of the company’s lead clinical programs is PBGENE-HBV, an investigational in vivo gene editing therapy being developed for chronic hepatitis B.
Current treatments for hepatitis B generally suppress viral replication but rarely eliminate the virus completely, requiring many patients to remain on lifelong therapy.
PBGENE-HBV has been designed to directly target hepatitis B viral DNA within infected liver cells with the goal of eliminating the viral reservoir and potentially achieving a functional cure.
The program is currently being evaluated through the ELIMINATE-B clinical study, which continues generating important safety and efficacy data.
Progressing PBGENE-DMD
Precision is also advancing PBGENE-DMD for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe inherited neuromuscular disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene.
The investigational therapy utilizes ARCUS gene editing technology to restore dystrophin production by correcting disease-causing genetic mutations.
Clinical evaluation continues through the FUNCTION-DMD study, which is designed to assess safety, biological activity, and therapeutic potential.
The program represents another example of Precision’s strategy of applying precise in vivo gene editing to diseases driven by well-defined genetic abnormalities.
CEO Highlights Leadership Strength
Michael Amoroso, Chief Executive Officer of Precision BioSciences, emphasized that the executive appointments reflect the strength of the company’s leadership team and the organization’s readiness for continued expansion.
According to Amoroso, the promotions recognize the contributions made by Alex Kelly, Naresh Tanna, Cindy Atwell, and Cassie Gorsuch as the company advances important clinical programs.
He noted that the leadership team continues to play a central role in executing Precision’s development strategy while generating clinical data from both the ELIMINATE-B and FUNCTION-DMD studies.
The company believes these experienced leaders will help deliver meaningful progress for patients while creating long-term value for shareholders.
Building for the Future
As Precision BioSciences continues advancing multiple clinical-stage programs simultaneously, the strengthened executive team provides additional organizational capacity to support future milestones.
The combination of experienced operational leadership, expanded financial oversight, enhanced clinical expertise, and integrated scientific management creates a leadership structure aligned with the company’s evolving needs.
With ongoing clinical studies expected to generate additional data in the coming years, Precision remains focused on advancing innovative gene editing therapies that have the potential to transform treatment for patients with serious genetic and infectious diseases.
By investing in leadership development alongside scientific innovation, the company is positioning itself to efficiently execute its clinical strategy while maintaining the flexibility needed to support future pipeline expansion. The newly announced executive appointments underscore Precision BioSciences’ long-term commitment to operational excellence, scientific advancement, and the development of potentially life-changing gene editing medicines through its proprietary ARCUS platform.
About Precision BioSciences, Inc.
Precision BioSciences, Inc. is a clinical stage gene editing company dedicated to improving life (DTIL) with its novel and proprietary ARCUS® genome editing platform that differs from other technologies in the way it cuts, its smaller size, and its simpler structure. These features are intended for ARCUS nucleases to drive more defined therapeutic outcomes. Using ARCUS, the Company’s pipeline is comprised of clinical stage in vivo gene editing candidates designed to deliver lasting cures for the broadest range of genetic and infectious diseases where no adequate treatments exist.