GenSight Biologics strengthens its management team to support the launch of LUMEVOQ® in Europe

Paris, France, September 12, 2022, 7:30 am CEST – GenSight Biologics (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, today announced two key senior executive appointments. Philippe Motté has been named Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Quality reporting to Chief Executive Officer Bernard Gilly and a member of the Executive Committee. Michiel Hemels has been appointed Vice President, Global Pricing and Market Access (PMA) reporting to Sissel Rodahl, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations. These appointments are effective immediately. Both are recognized experts in their field and will play an essential role in the development of GenSight Biologics’ activities and commercial launch of LUMEVOQ^® in Europe.

“I am excited to welcome these two leading experts to our management team,” commented GenSight Biologics’ Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder Bernard Gilly. “Philippe brings extensive expertise in securing regulatory pathways and interacting with worldwide regulatory authorities, while Michiel’s experience will be instrumental for access, pricing and reimbursement for LUMEVOQ and for GenSight’s wider portfolio,” he added.

 Philippe Motté appointed as Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Quality

Philippe Motté will be responsible for ensuring consistency of activities in relation to regional and local regulatory authorities, coordinating teams to prepare for pre-marketing inspections of LUMEVOQ^® and ensuring regulatory compliance in the future marketing of LUMEVOQ^®. He will report to Bernard Gilly as a member of the Executive Committee.

“It is with great excitement that I join the leadership team to contribute to bring first-in-class gene therapy solutions to patients with severe ophthalmologic disorders and high unmet medical needs,” commented Philippe Motté. “I look forward to this new adventure.”

Philippe holds a PharmD from the Paris-Descartes University and a PhD in Human Biology from the Paris-Sud University. He completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and he earned an MBA from the ESCP-EAP European School of Management (Paris). He is certified as a Pharmacien Responsable (Responsible Pharmacist) in France and has been elected a member of the French National Academy of Pharmacy. Philippe is also Visiting Professor at University Paris-Saclay.

He worked for many years in regulatory, quality and commercial roles in leading healthcare companies such as Sanofi (then as Pasteur-Mérieux), GSK (then as Smithkline-Beecham), Roche, Ipsen, Abbvie and Medday Pharmaceuticals. He also founded the coaching and consulting firm Celestial Consulting & Coaching in the biotech and pharmaceutical sector. More recently, Philippe joins GenSight after serving as Chief Regulatory and Quality Officer at the biopharmaceutical company Genfit.

Michiel Hemels appointed as Vice President, Global PMA

Michiel Hemels will be responsible for developing and executing global pricing and market access strategy, ensuring patient access to GenSight’s therapies. He will report to Sissel Rodahl, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations.

He joins GenSight with 20 years of strong senior leadership experience related to commercialization of products across multiple geographies in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology industries.

“There is a major unmet need in treatment for severe retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics has been committed to changing this state of affairs for over 10 years” Michiel Hemels commented. “Based on science, collaboration, and dedication, I am convinced that we will ensure timely patient access to our cutting-edge therapies. I am honored to be joining this team.”

Michiel holds a M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Utrecht, Netherlands, a M.Sc. from University of Toronto, Canada, and an MBA from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark.

He began his life sciences work in large to mid-sized pharma and has since strengthened his pricing and market access experience in small biotechs. He was a member of the EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa) management team at AveXis that prepared the launch of its first gene therapy. Most recently, he served as Head of Global Market Access and Pricing at Genmab. In addition to being the author of over 90 peer-reviewed scientific publications, Michiel led multiple early advice requests and was the global or regional lead for several submissions to national health technology assessment bodies, including the first Relative Effectiveness Assessment pilot with EUnetHTA.