Stoke Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: STOK) announced the appointment of Clare Kahn to its board of directors. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company develops RNA medicines to restore protein expression.

Kahn brings more than 30 years of industry experience to the role. She most recently served as R&D Strategy Officer and Chief Regulatory and Preclinical Development Officer at X-VAX Technology Inc. She previously held positions at Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline and currently sits on the board of Solid Biosciences. Kahn holds a Ph.D. in Biochemical Pharmacology from The Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London.

"Clare's deep regulatory strategy and drug development expertise, particularly in rare genetic diseases, complements the strong capabilities of our leadership team and Board," said Ian F. Smith, chief executive officer and director of Stoke Therapeutics.

Stoke Therapeutics is developing zorevunersen, an investigational antisense oligonucleotide designed to treat Dravet syndrome. The company is currently conducting a Phase 3 study of the drug candidate. Zorevunersen has received orphan drug designation from the FDA and the European Medicines Agency, as well as breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA.

The company has a strategic collaboration with Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) to develop and commercialize zorevunersen. Under the agreement, Stoke retains exclusive rights in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, while Biogen receives exclusive commercialization rights for the rest of the world.

Dravet syndrome is a severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy caused by mutations in the SCN1A gene. The condition affects an estimated 38,000 people in the U.S., UK, EU-4 and Japan. Currently, no approved disease-modifying therapies exist for the condition.