enGene Appoints Lee Giguere as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary
Experienced biotech executive brings public company expertise in legal, corporate governance, and compliance to support enGene during late-stage clinical development and anticipated future commercial launch of its lead program EG-70
BOSTON and MONTREAL, Jan. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - enGene Holdings Inc. ("enGene," (Nasdaq: ENGN), a clinical-stage genetic medicines company whose lead program is in a pivotal study for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), today announced the appointment of Lee Giguere as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary.
"I am delighted to welcome Lee, an experienced public biotech legal executive, to enGene as we advance the development of EG-70 in our ongoing pivotal-stage LEGEND study in BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer," said Jason D. Hanson, Chief Executive Officer of enGene. "His track record leading the legal function of successful companies, including those navigating late-stage development, product approvals, commercial launches, and strategic transactions, will strongly support our growth."
Mr. Giguere previously served as Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Obsidian Therapeutics, a clinical-stage cell and gene therapy company. Earlier, he was General Counsel and Secretary at Chiasma, where he led the legal, compliance, and human resource functions in support of the approval and launch of the company's acromegaly therapy and played a key role in the subsequent sale of the company. Previously, he was Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Karyopharm Therapeutics through the approval and launch of its multiple myeloma therapy. Earlier in his career, Mr. Giguere held roles at Boston Scientific Corporation and in the business law practice of Goodwin Procter LLP. Mr. Giguere earned his Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northeastern University.
Mr. Giguere commented: "I am thrilled to join enGene as we work to transform the management of bladder cancer, beginning with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. With EG-70, enGene has an opportunity to introduce a novel, non-viral, fit-for-purpose class of genetic medicine specifically designed for ease-of-use by the community urologists who are on the front lines of treating this patient group. I look forward to working alongside the team to further our mission, with the ultimate goal of fundamentally improving patient care."
About enGene
enGene is a late-stage biotechnology company mainstreaming genetic medicines through the delivery of therapeutics to mucosal tissues and other organs, whose lead program EG-70 is being evaluated in an ongoing pivotal study for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ (Cis) who are unresponsive or naïve to treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). EG-70 was developed using enGene's proprietary Dually Derivatized Oligochitosan (DDX) platform, which enables penetration of mucosal tissues and delivery of a wide range of sizes and types of cargo, including DNA and various forms of RNA. enGene became a publicly traded company effective November 1, 2023, upon the completion of a business combination with Forbion European Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company. For more information, visit enGene.com.
Some of the statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). enGene's forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding enGene's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, goals, strategies, forecasts and projections. The words "anticipate", "appear", "approximate", "believe", "continue", "could", "estimate", "expect", "foresee", "intend", "may", "might", "plan", "possible", "potential", "predict", "project", "seek", "should", "would", and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements may include, for example, statements about: the future growth of enGene, the potential benefits of EG-70 and enGene's goal of mainstreaming gene therapy.
Many factors, risks, uncertainties and assumptions could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the Company's ability to recruit and retain qualified scientific and management personnel, establish clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials and acquire technologies complimentary to, or necessary for, its programs; the Company's ability to address diseases with high clinical needs; the Company's ability to retain commercial rights to EG-70 in the United States and commercialize EG-70 independently, while selectively partnering outside of the United States; the Company's plans and ability to secure regulatory approval, to execute product development, manufacturing process development, preclinical and clinical development efforts successfully and on anticipated timelines; enGene's ability to design mainstream gene therapy and bring genetic medicines to community clinics across the globe; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on EDGAR, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, , filed with the SEC on January 29, 2024 (copies of which may be obtained at sedarplus.ca or www.sec.gov).You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. enGene anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause enGene's assessments to change. While enGene may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, enGene specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, unless required by applicable law. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved.
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