Synageva picks chief, opens Waltham office

Synageva BioPharma announced the appointment of Sanj K. Patel as president and chief executive.

The company added in a press release: "In conjunction with Sanj Patel's appointment, Synageva has opened new corporate headquarters outside of Boston in Waltham, Mass. The company maintains research and production operations in the greater Atlanta area where the company was originally founded under the name of Avigenics."

Synageva said it is focused on the development of biopharmaceuticals that address the needs of a global patient population in multiple areas, including oncology, autoimmune diseases, and genetic diseases.

Patel joins Synageva from Genzyme Corp. of Cambridge, where he worked from 1999 to 2008, Synageva said. Most recently, he was head of US Sales, Marketing, and Commercial Operations for Genzyme Therapeutics.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)