Engimmune Therapeutics appoints Dr. Lars Nieba as Chief Executive Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Engimmune Therapeutics has announced a leadership transition as Dr. Søren Mouritsen steps down as CEO, with Dr. Lars Nieba appointed as his successor. This transition is part of a planned strategy to advance the company's T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapeutics development. Dr. Nieba brings over 25 years of experience in biopharmaceuticals, including leadership roles at Roche and Bayer, which positions him well to enhance Engimmune's strategic direction. Under Dr. Mouritsen's leadership, the company was established and successfully completed seed financing. Board Chairman Bent Jakobsen and other leaders expressed confidence in Nieba's ability to navigate the next stages of development, leveraging Engimmune's innovative technologies. Engimmune focuses on TCR therapies aimed at treating cancer and autoimmune diseases, utilizing advanced methodologies such as genome editing and machine learning.

Positive

• Dr. Lars Nieba brings over 25 years of biopharmaceutical leadership experience.
• Transition aims to enhance strategic direction for TCR-based therapeutics.
• Successful completion of seed financing under Dr. Mouritsen's leadership.
• Strong confidence in Nieba's ability to advance development and commercialization.

Negative

• Concerns about continuity in leadership with a new CEO.

• Dr. Søren Mouritsen, co-founder of Engimmune, steps down as Chief Executive Officer in planned transition

BASEL, Switzerland, April 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Engimmune Therapeutics AG ("Engimmune"), a Swiss biotech company developing novel T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapeutics, today announces the appointment of Dr. Lars Nieba as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Søren Mouritsen, co-founder and previous CEO, steps down in a planned transition.

Dr. Lars Nieba brings more than 25 years of experience in biopharmaceutical leadership in R&D, business and clinical development, venture capital, manufacturing and product strategy and has been CEO and a Scientific Advisor to a number of biotechnology companies. Dr. Nieba has held previous positions in big pharma and VC firms including Roche, Bayer and Pureos Bioventures where he touched a wide variety of modalities in drug development, from small molecules, through to therapeutic proteins, antibodies and gene therapies.

Dr. Søren Mouritsen co-founded Engimmune alongside Dr. Rodrigo Vazquez-Lombardi and Prof. Sai Reddy in 2021, as a spinout from Prof. Sai Reddy's lab at ETH Zürich. Engimmune uses cutting-edge technologies to engineer highly potent and specific TCR-based therapies for cancer treatment and potentially autoimmune disease. By combining genome editing, functional screening, deep sequencing and machine learning, Engimmune addresses major efficacy and safety challenges that currently limit the full potential of TCR-T cell and soluble TCR therapies. TCR pioneer and industry veteran Dr. Bent Jakobsen, co-founder of Immunocore and Adaptimmune, is Chairman of the Board. Engimmune is backed by leading investors Pureos Bioventures and Novo Holdings.

Bent Jakobsen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Engimmune, said: "On behalf of the Board and management team, I would like to thank Søren for his outstanding contribution in establishing Engimmune and completing the seed financing. I am very pleased to welcome Lars as CEO. His leadership, financial and biopharmaceutical expertise will be invaluable as Engimmune progresses to the next stages of development. There is immense untapped potential in TCR-based therapeutics which Engimmune's novel technologies and approach are ideally positioned to explore."

Søren Mouritsen, co-founder of Engimmune, said: "When we first founded Engimmune, I agreed to take on CEO role until the Company was established and the seed financing completed.  I am very proud to have achieved this. For the past months I have led the search for my successor, and I am very pleased to be able welcome Dr. Lars Nieba as the new CEO. Lars has a solid experience both from big pharma and biotech companies and not least within the oncological therapeutic focus area of Engimmune. I feel very confident – also as a shareholder – that he will be able to successfully build further on the very strong progress that Rodrigo, our excellent team and I have established for Engimmune the past couple of years and to eventually lead the Company to a big commercial success." 

Lars Nieba, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Engimmune, said: "I am looking forward to this exciting new role as the CEO of Engimmune Therapeutics. It is clear that the Company has an exciting future based on the significant potential of TCR-based therapies in oncology and immune mediated diseases. I am joining an excellent board and management team and I am confident that with my complementary experience and networks, we can succeed with its breakthrough TCR platform to develop next-generation treatments."

Rodrigo Vazquez-Lombardi, Chief Scientific Officer of Engimmune, said: "The entire Engimmune team is very excited to welcome Lars as CEO and looks forward to working together with him to advance our programs closer to clinic. I am confident that his impressive track record in leadership roles across early stage, clinical and commercial development of biotherapeutics will rapidly become an invaluable asset to realise the unique potential of our technology platforms for TCR drug development."

For further information, please contact:

Engimmune Therapeutics
e-mail: press@engimmune.com

About Engimmune Therapeutics AG

Engimmune Therapeutics is a technology platform and product-based company using cutting-edge technologies to engineer highly potent and specific T cell receptor (TCR) therapies. By applying proprietary platform technologies combining genome editing, functional high-throughput screening, deep sequencing and machine learning, Engimmune addresses key efficacy and safety challenges that currently limit the full potential of TCR-T cell and soluble TCR therapeutics. The company was co-founded by Dr. Rodrigo Vazquez Lombardi, Prof. Sai Reddy and Dr. Søren Mouritsen in 2021 with the latter as CEO. For more information, please visit www.Engimmune.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/engimmune-therapeutics-appoints-dr-lars-nieba-as-chief-executive-officer-301800570.html

SOURCE Engimmune Therapeutics

FAQ

What prompted the leadership change at Engimmune Therapeutics?

Dr. Søren Mouritsen stepped down in a planned transition to allow Dr. Lars Nieba to lead the company into its next development phase.

What experience does Dr. Lars Nieba bring to his role as CEO?

Dr. Nieba has over 25 years of experience in biopharmaceutical leadership, including roles at Roche and Bayer.

What are Engimmune's key focus areas under the new CEO?

Engimmune focuses on developing T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

How did Dr. Søren Mouritsen contribute to Engimmune before stepping down?

Dr. Mouritsen co-founded Engimmune and successfully established the company and completed its seed financing.

What is the significance of the leadership transition for Engimmune shareholders?

The transition aims to leverage Dr. Nieba's expertise to enhance the company's strategic direction and potential for commercial success.