GenSight Biologics Appoints Magali Taiel as Chief Medical Officer

Paris, France, October 8, 2019, 7.30 am CEST – GenSight Biologics (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, announced the appointment of Magali Taiel, MD, as Chief Medical Officer, effective immediately. Dr. Taiel replaces Barrett Katz, MD, who resigned to pursue other career opportunities. She has been Vice President of Clinical Development since September 2018. Dr. Katz will remain a consultant to the Company.

“We are truly grateful to Barrett for bringing his experience, knowledge and thinking to bear on the clinical development programs of GS010 and GS030,” said Bernard Gilly, CEO and Co-founder of GenSight Biologics. “His close working relationship with Magali, in addition to her great experience, will enable the team to proceed smoothly with our plans to commercialize GS010 and guide GS030 through the early stages of its clinical development.”

Dr. Taiel, a medical doctor board-certified in Ophthalmology, brings extensive years of experience from both academic medicine and the pharmaceutical industry.

She will oversee clinical development and operations, medical affairs and scientific communication at GenSight Biologics. She will be part of the Executive Committee and will report directly to CEO Bernard Gilly.

Dr. Taiel received her medical degree with board certification in Ophthalmology from Lariboisière Saint Louis University, Paris, France, in 1993, and her Associate Professor degree in 1998. Dr. Taiel completed her internship at academic hospitals in Paris, was an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, served as an Ophthalmology Department Head, and ran a Surgical and Medical Ophthalmology private practice.

After 13 years of public and private practice in Ophthalmology, Dr. Taiel has been engaged in the pharma Industry for 20 years; she brings extensive experience and expertise in drug clinical development, gene therapy, and medical affairs. She started her career at Servier, and then worked in the Ophthalmology area at Pfizer for several years. Dr. Taiel then held international and management positions in various therapeutic areas, including both technical and supervision duties at Eli Lilly for several years. Since 2016, as a VP of Clinical Development, she has led Clinical Development and Operations to develop antisense oligonucleotides and gene therapy in Inherited Retinal and Neuro-Ophthalmology diseases, firstly at ProQR Therapeutics and now at GenSight Biologics.

Dr. Taiel has authored numerous protocols and articles published in peer-reviewed journals and made critical contributions to the successful clinical development and launch of many products.

“I am delighted and honored to contribute to the success of GenSight Biologics, building on the advancements that we have already achieved and continuing to progress GS010 gene therapy to regulatory filing in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy,” said Dr. Taiel. “I am excited to lead the clinical team in realizing the promise of GenSight’s innovative mitochondrial targeting sequence and optogenetics technologies for patients with retinal neurodegenerative diseases.”

About GenSight Biologics

GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics’ pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics’ lead product candidate, GS010, is in Phase III trials in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease that leads to irreversible blindness in teens and young adults. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics’ product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery.