Geron Appoints Harout Semerjian as President and Chief Executive Officer

Globe and Mail

06-08-2025

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to change lives by changing the course of blood cancer, today announced the appointment of Harout Semerjian as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a member of the Board of Directors, effective tomorrow.
Mr. Semerjian will succeed Dawn Carter Bir, who has served as Interim President and CEO since March 2025. Ms. Bir will continue in her role on Geron's Board of Directors, where she will contribute her insight and strategic counsel.
'Our Board conducted an extensive search to identify a leader with deep commercial and hematology expertise, global perspective, and a steadfast commitment to improving patient lives,' said Elizabeth O'Farrell, Chairman of Geron's Board of Directors. 'Harout brings over 30 years of commercial experience across hematology and oncology, including key leadership roles at Novartis, Ipsen, and GlycoMimetics. His proven track record as a CEO and in senior executive roles launching and scaling hematology therapies makes him ideally suited to lead Geron into its next chapter of growth.'
Mr. Semerjian began his pharmaceutical career at Solvay, then rose through a number of sales and marketing roles. He spent 17 years in U.S. and global commercial and operational leadership roles at Novartis, including as global lead for Gleevec® and KISQALI® and U.S. hematology franchise head. He then joined Ipsen and was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer. He served briefly as CEO of Immunomedics prior to its acquisition by Gilead, and most recently led GlycoMimetics as CEO.
His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Geron, as the company continues to work to expand awareness of, and access to, RYTELO and to advance its late-stage pipeline, including the completion of IMpactMF, the pivotal Phase 3 trial in relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis.
'RYTELO is a truly differentiated medicine with significant opportunity in the U.S. and beyond,' said Mr. Semerjian. 'I'm excited to help amplify its impact for patients and build the foundation for growth in the U.S. and abroad. I look forward to working with the Geron team to realize the full potential of telomerase inhibition and deliver on the company's mission to advance meaningful change for patients.'
'On behalf of the Geron board, I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for Dawn's strong leadership during her time as Interim President and CEO. Her leadership and strategic guidance kept Geron focused, resilient and well positioned for the future. I look forward to her continued support and counsel throughout this important transition,' added Ms. O'Farrell.
'It has been a privilege to serve as Geron's Interim President and CEO,' said Ms. Bir. 'During my nearly six months in this role, we have quickly pivoted, reset the path for the organization, and positioned us better for future success. I believe Harout's 30 years of commercial hematology experience and his vast network and deep relationships with thought leaders will advance what we've started and support RYTELO reaching more patients who desperately need it.'
About Harout Semerjian
Harout Semerjian began his pharmaceutical career at Solvay before joining Novartis where he held U.S. and global leadership roles over a 17-year tenure in hematology and oncology, including as head of U.S. hematology. At Ipsen, he rose to Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer. He served briefly as CEO of Immunomedics prior to its acquisition by Gilead and most recently led GlycoMimetics as CEO. He received a B.S. in Biology from Lebanon American University and an MBA degree from Cornell University and Queen's University, Canada.
About Geron
Geron is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to change lives by changing the course of blood cancer. Our first-in-class telomerase inhibitor RYTELO® (imetelstat) is approved in the United States and the European Union for the treatment of certain adult patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes with transfusion dependent anemia. We are also conducting a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of imetelstat in JAK-inhibitor relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis, as well as studies in other myeloid hematologic malignancies. Inhibiting telomerase activity, which is increased in malignant stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow, aims to reduce proliferation and induce death of malignant cells. To learn more, visit www.geron.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Use of Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such statements, include, without limitation, those regarding: (i) the Company's beliefs regarding the long-term potential of RYTELO as an important therapeutic for eligible patients with lower-risk MDS; (ii) the strength of RYTELO's therapeutic profile; (iii) the Company's beliefs, plans and expectations regarding specific opportunities and investments the Company is making, and the expected success of these efforts to strengthen and accelerate the Company's commercial trajectory in the U.S. and abroad; (iv) the Company's beliefs regarding the significant market opportunity for imetelstat to treat JAKi R/R MF patients if the Phase 3 IMpactMF trial is positive and imetelstat is approved in this indication; (v) that inhibiting telomerase activity aims to potentially reduce proliferation and induce death of malignant cells; and (vi) other statements that are not historical facts, constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to: (a) whether Geron is successful in commercializing RYTELO (imetelstat) for the treatment of certain patients with lower-risk MDS with transfusion dependent anemia and achieves market acceptance across the breadth of the eligible patient segments in RYTELO's approved indication; (b) whether the FDA and European Commission will approve imetelstat for other indications on the timelines expected, or at all; (c) Geron's plans to commercialize RYTELO in the European Union, or EU, and risks related to operating outside of the U.S.; (d) whether Geron overcomes potential delays and other adverse impacts that may be caused by enrollment, clinical, safety, efficacy, technical, scientific, intellectual property, manufacturing and regulatory challenges in order to have the financial resources for and meet expected timelines and planned milestones; (e) whether regulatory authorities permit the further development of imetelstat on a timely basis, or at all, without any clinical holds; (f) whether any future safety or efficacy results of RYTELO treatment cause its benefit-risk profile to become unacceptable; (g) whether imetelstat actually demonstrates disease-modifying activity in patients and the ability to target the malignant stem and progenitor cells of the underlying disease; (h) whether Geron meets its post-marketing requirements and commitments for RYTELO; (i) whether there are failures or delays in manufacturing or supplying sufficient quantities of RYTELO (imetelstat) or other clinical trial materials that impact commercialization of RYTELO or the continuation of the IMpactMF trial; (j) that the projected timing for the interim and final analyses of the IMpactMF trial may vary depending on actual enrollment and death rates in the trial; and (k) whether Geron stays in compliance with and satisfies its obligations under its debt and synthetic royalty financing agreements. Additional information on the above risks and uncertainties and additional risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are contained in Geron's filings and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading 'Risk Factors' and elsewhere in such filings and reports, including Geron's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and subsequent filings and reports by Geron. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and the facts and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements may change. Except as required by law, Geron disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future information, events, or circumstances.