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.
Forward-Looking
Statements
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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SOURCE enGene