BOSTON and MONTREAL, Feb. 14,
2024 /CNW/ - enGene Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:
ENGN) ("enGene" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage genetic
medicines company whose non-viral lead program EG-70 is in a
pivotal study for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder
cancer (NMIBC), today announced that due to personal family and
health reasons, Jason Hanson
intends to resign from his role as Chief Executive Officer and
a member of the Board of Directors upon the appointment of a
successor CEO. The Board of Directors has initiated
a search for his successor. Following the hiring of a new
CEO, he will support the Company and the new CEO as a
strategic advisor.
"On behalf of our entire board and team, I want to thank Jason
for his visionary leadership, resolute commitment and innumerable
contributions to enGene over the last six years," said Dr.
Richard Glickman, speaking on behalf
of the enGene Board of Directors. "Jason will leave enGene in a
position of strength – he has driven the discovery and development
of our lead program, EG-70, for which previously reported clinical
data has been encouraging and which is now in a pivotal study. In
addition, he has built out an accomplished leadership team,
and led the transformation of enGene into a publicly-traded
company. The Board looks forward to working with Jason to ensure a
seamless transition by identifying the right successor to lead
enGene in its exciting next chapter with its potential
near-term evolution into a commercial-stage genetic medicines
company."
"I am extremely proud of all we have accomplished at enGene,"
said Mr. Hanson. "We have built a company with an outstanding
leadership team and a highly differentiated non-viral DDX genetic
medicine platform and promising late-stage lead product candidate,
EG-70. After considering personal health and family matters that
are important to my ongoing health and the best interests of my
family, I have concluded that now is the right time to transition
to a new leader as we begin to think about the next phase of
growth, including the potential commercialization of EG-70 in
NMIBC. I am committed to supporting a smooth CEO succession process
and remain focused on advancing our important mission of bringing
EG-70 to as many patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC as
possible."
Mr. Hanson continued, "I also want to take this opportunity to
thank our dedicated team of employees who continue to demonstrate
an unwavering commitment to our mission, as well as our
investigators, and of course our patients, who inspire and motivate
our work."
The Company's board has retained a leading executive search firm
to assist in a comprehensive search for the Company's next chief
executive officer.
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 timing and anticipated results of our chief executive
officer succession process, the hiring of a successor chief
executive officer and beliefs as to the potential benefits of
EG-70.
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 enroll patients in its clinical
trials; execute on the Company's clinical development plans and
ability to secure regulatory approval on anticipated timelines; 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 (copies of which may be obtained at
www.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