Tokyo Japan — July 1, 2016 — REGiMMMUNE today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Kenzo Kosuda as Chief Executive Officer effective July 1, 2016. Yasuyuki Ishii will assume the role of Executive Chairman on July 1, 2016, and will continue to serve as the Chairman of REGiMMUNE’s Board.
“This is an appropriate time for Kenzo Kosuda to become REGiMMMUNE’s next Chief Executive Officer as we move from advancing our scientific expertise into operational activities associated with product development. We’ve selected a very strong leader for the next phase of REGiMMUNE growth.” said REGiMMMUNE CEO and scientific founder, Yasuyuki Ishii. “Our next CEO needs to thrive in a highly dynamic environment, and to be capable of accelerating what is working very well for REGiMMMUNE. Kenzo’s vision, strategy and execution track record is exactly what REGiMMUNE needs as we enter our next chapter, which I am confident will be exciting and impactful.”
Kenzo joined REGiMMUNE in 2013. He most recently served as REGiMMUNE’s executive vice president and CFO/COO. “I joined REGiMMMUNE 3 years ago because I wanted to be a part of a company bringing innovative new medicines to patients who are suffering from debilitating diseases. Today, I am even more convinced that REGiMMMUNE is that company,” said Kenzo Kosuda. “Over the past 10 years, Yasuyuki Ishiis’ vision and leadership have built REGiMMUNE into one of the most unique bio-tech companies in Japan. I will now be focused on expanding REGIiMMUNE’S technology platform and product pipeline, and I am honored to lead this great company.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to watch Kenzo grow as a leader at REGiMMMUNE over the last 3 years and am convinced there is no better leader for REGiMMMUNE today,” said Shirley Clayton, lead independent director on the REGiMMMUNE Board. “Kenzo has demonstrated the same energy and passion for REGiMMMUNE that Yasuyuki Ishii has demonstrated during his time as CEO. Kenzo is a leader with an extraordinary ability to connect vision, people and ideas to drive strategy and execution.”
REGiMMMUNE also announced that Yasuyuki Ishii, currently President and CEO, will remain on the board and assume the role of Executive Chairman on June 15. He will devote his time to supporting Kenzo and expanding the applications of reVax technology as both inventor and evangelist. Yasuyuki Ishii has served as independent director of REGiMMMUNE since inception, in 2006 and as CEO from 2014.
“Kenzo is the right leader for REGiMMUNE’s next chapter, and he has the unanimous support of the Board of Directors,” said Joseph McCracken, REGiMMMUNE Board Director. “With Yasuyuki Ishii taking the role of Executive Chairman and Kenzo Kosuda taking the role of CEO, the board is very confident REGIMMMUNE has the leadership to drive its success in this next chapter.”
About REGiMMUNE
REGiMMUNE is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of immune regulatory therapeutics to treat life-threatening and debilitating conditions, including allergies, autoimmune diseases and transplantation. The company’s proprietary platform technology, reVax, induces immune tolerance in an antigen-specific manner through pharmacological induction of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Using its reVax technology, REGiMMUNE is developing RGI-2001, which may be the first drug in the class of Treg-inducing agents. RGI 2001 is in clinical trials for preventions of graft vs host disease in bone marrow transplant and potentially for solid organ transplant.
The company is also applying its reVax technology to develop a range of pipeline products, including its RGI-1000 series for allergy and its RGI-3100 series for type 1 diabetes which is being developed in collaboration with Pfizer and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Additionally REGiMMUNE is developing products for preventing inhibitor formation in enzyme replacement therapies (ERT) and for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with undisclosed academic partners. The company is seeking pharmaceutical partnership opportunities for its products worldwide, exclusive of Japan. REGiMMUNE is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and has a US operation in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit www.regimmune.com.