Syncona Limited

Dr Julie Cherrington and Dr Cristina Csimma join Board as Non-Executive Directors

22 November 2021

Syncona Ltd, a leading healthcare company focused on founding, building and funding a portfolio of global leaders in life science, announces the appointments of Dr Julie Cherrington and Dr Cristina Csimma as Non-Executive Directors with effect from 1 February 2022.

Dr Julie Cherrington is an experienced life science executive with a strong track record in bringing drugs into the clinic and through to commercialisation, and particular expertise in the oncology setting. She has previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer at several biotechnology companies in the US West Coast, Canada and Australia, most recently at ARCH Oncology and QUE Oncology, and currently holds non-executive roles at a number of listed and private biotechnology companies including Mirati Therapeutics.

Dr Cristina Csimma joins Syncona with nearly 30 years' experience of drug development, new company formation, value creation and strategic guidance across a broad range of therapeutic areas. She also brings significant expertise in venture capital and the US biotech capital market environment. She is currently Executive Chair of the clinical-stage drug development firm Forendo Pharma, which recently entered into a definitive agreement under which Organon will acquire Forendo Pharma, and also holds non-executive roles at several other listed and private US-based biotechnology companies.

Melanie Gee, Chair of Syncona Limited, said: "I am very pleased to welcome Julie and Cristina to the Syncona Board. I am committed to ensuring that the Syncona Board has a diverse blend of expertise, perspectives and backgrounds and I believe Julie and Cristina substantially add to that. Their appointments broaden the Board's understanding particularly across the US biotech market and US private and public capital markets, which are key to successfully delivering Syncona's strategy."

Martin Murphy, CEO of Syncona Investment Management Limited, said: "I am delighted that biotech industry professionals of the calibre of Julie and Cristina are joining the Syncona Board. Both bring broad experience, particularly across the US market, and I and the team look forward to both of them sharing their insights as we seek to deliver treatments that will reach patients and maximise value for our shareholders."

Julie Cherrington said: "Syncona offers an exciting opportunity to work with an expert management team in the life science sector that is seeking to manage and grow a sustainable portfolio of leading companies operating in areas of highly innovative science. I look forward to joining the Board and supporting the business to develop and commercialise the therapies in the Syncona portfolio."

Cristina Csimma said: "I look forward to joining Syncona's Board and leveraging my experience in global drug development, company building and capital raising. The Company's purpose of extending and enhancing human life by founding and building companies that can deliver transformational treatments to patients is highly motivating and I am excited to support them in delivering it."

Disclosures in accordance with LR 9.6.13

In accordance with LR 9.6.13 the following disclosures are made:

Dr Julie Cherrington is currently a director of Mirati Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: MRTX) and Vaxart Therapeutics, Inc (NASDAQ: VXRT). She was formerly a director of Rakovina Therapeutics, Inc (TSXV: RKV).

Dr Cristina Csimma is currently a director of Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: IDRA) and Palisade Bio, Inc (NASDAQ: PALI), and was formerly a director of Seneca Biopharma, Inc (NASDAQ: SNCA) and Juniper Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: JNPR).

No further details are required to be disclosed under LR 9.6.13.

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Enquiries

Syncona Ltd

Annabel Clay / Fergus Witt  

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3981 7940

FTI Consulting

Ben Atwell / Natalie Garland-Collins / Tim Stamper

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3727 1000

About Syncona

Syncona's purpose is to invest to extend and enhance human life. We do this by founding and building companies to deliver transformational treatments to patients in areas of high unmet need.

Our strategy is to found, build and fund companies around exceptional science to create a dynamic portfolio of 15-20 globally leading healthcare businesses for the benefit of all our stakeholders. We focus on developing treatments for patients by working in close partnership with world-class academic founders and management teams. Our balance sheet underpins our strategy enabling us to take a long-term view as we look to improve the lives of patients with no or few treatment options, build sustainable life science companies and deliver strong risk-adjusted returns to shareholders.