Assembly Biosciences, Inc. announced that John G. McHutchison, AO, MD, chief executive officer (CEO), will retire as CEO at the end of 2022. Dr. McHutchison will continue to serve on Assembly Bio's Board of Directors, including assuming the role of chairman of the Science and Technology Committee. Assembly Bio's Board of Directors has unanimously elected Jason A. Okazaki, the company's current president and chief operating officer (COO), as chief executive officer and a member of the board upon Dr. McHutchison's retirement.

Mr. Okazaki joined Assembly Bio as chief legal and business officer in 2020. In 2021, he was promoted to chief operating officer with an expanded focus that included responsibility for investor relations, facilities and information technology. Earlier in 2022, he was elevated to president with responsibility for all general and administrative functions.

Prior to joining Assembly Bio, Mr. Okazaki was senior vice president, legal and assistant secretary at Gilead Sciences, Inc. Over the course of his 14-year career at Gilead, he led a global legal team supporting operations in the United States, Asia and Latin America, and advised on corporate governance and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting matters. Mr. Okazaki also led the structuring and legal execution of Gilead's acquisitions, strategic collaborations and licensing transactions. Prior to that, he was a senior associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, in the firm's mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance practices in New York and San Francisco.

Mr. Okazaki is the board chairman of the International League of Conservation Photographers, a non-profit organization of global photographers and filmmakers driving conservation efforts through ethical visual storytelling. He is also a board member of the Stanford Medicine Center for Asian Health Research and Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of Asians by increasing knowledge, empowering education and positively impacting their clinical care. Mr. Okazaki earned a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor degree from UC Hastings College of the Law.

He is a member of the State Bars of California and New York.