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Celyad Oncology Announces Appointment of Matt Kane as Chief Executive Officer

Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium; September 16, 2024, 06:00 pm CET; regulated information & inside information – Celyad Oncology (Euronext: CYAD) (the “Company” or “Celyad”) is pleased to announce Matt Kane as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective as of October 1st, 2024.

Matt Kane is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurial, CEO and board roles. Mr. Kane is a pioneer in genome editing, led the development of the first editing technology to receive clearance for clinical evaluation as an in vivo gene insertion therapeutic and, most importantly, led the development and clinical testing of multiple allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies directed against cancer. His extensive scientific and business acumen have been demonstrated during his career by raising over $500M in equity financings and partnerships valued at over $4B.

Mr. Kane is currently involved with several entrepreneurial initiatives within the biotechnology industry. Until recently, he served as CEO and board member of Tune Therapeutics,Inc., an epigenetic editing biotechnology company. During his tenure at Tune, he led the development of the initial program portfolio, followed by the selection of a lead epi-editing therapeutic candidate. Prior to Tune Therapeutics, Matt co-founded the gene editing company, Precision BioSciences, Inc. (DTIL), in 2006 and led the company as CEO and board member until 2021. While leading Precision, he oversaw the company’s Initial Public Offering, formed several pharmaceutical partnerships across cell and gene therapy, and ultimately directed four unique allogeneic CAR T therapies into human clinical studies.

Mr. Kane holds a Master of Business Administration, Certificate in Health Sector Management, from Duke University, a Master of Biomedical Engineering and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, both from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Hilde Windels, Chair of the Board, commented: “We are very pleased to announce that Matt has been appointed as our new CEO. His in-depth expertise in the CAR T space and his pioneering work at Precision BioSciences (amongst others) are ideal to help Celyad execute its ambitious plans. We congratulate Matt and wish him all the best in his new role.”

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join Celyad Oncology as its next Chief Executive Officer and, alongside this stellar team, build upon the tremendous progress, deep intellectual property portfolio, and key scientific insights generated by the Company,” commented Matt Kane.  

Michel Lussier, co-founder of Celyad Oncology and Interim CEO, added: “Leading Celyad at our current stage of development requires a very unique set of skills: in-depth knowledge of the CAR T space, seasoned expertise in R&D out-licensing and IP monetization. We are very fortunate that Matt brings a solid track record in all these aspects.“

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Celyad announces management change

December 1st 2023, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium – Celyad Oncology (Euronext: CYAD), a cutting-edge biotechnology company dedicated to pioneering the discovery and advancement of revolutionary technologies for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells announces that its CEO and managing director Georges Rawadi has decided to step down, effective as of Friday December 1, 2023.

Georges has taken this decision for personal reasons. Michel Lussier will take over the CEO responsibilities ad interim. Michel is co-founder and member of the board of Directors of Celyad Oncology.

Hilde Windels, Chair of Celyad Oncology, commented: “We thank Georges for his efforts and dedication to make this pivotal year a success, following Celyad’s change in strategy since last year. We wish him every success in the future.”

The company’s primary objective is to unlock the potential of its proprietary technology platforms and intellectual property, enabling to be at the forefront of developing next-generation CAR T-cell therapies. By fully leveraging its innovative technology platforms, Celyad Oncology aims to maximize the transformative impact of its candidate CAR T-cell therapies and redefine the future of CAR T-cell treatments.

Michel Lussier, interim CEO, commented: “We are grateful for the work that Georges has done and I look forward to working closer with the team again in this interim period. I am confident about the company’s future: the science is great, we have cash in the bank and we have been very successful in our efforts to address the limitations of CAR-T. Hence, we are ready to engage in value adding partnering discussions.”

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Celyad Oncology appoints Georges Rawadi as its new CEO

March 24, 2023 Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium – Celyad Oncology (Euronext & Nasdaq: CYAD) (the “Company”), a biotechnology company focused on innovative technologies for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, is pleased to announce Georges Rawadi as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective as of March 23, 2023, with starting date April 17, 2023. Michel Lussier will continue to serve as Interim CEO until April 17 to facilitate transition.

Georges Rawadi is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in pharma/biotech, as research director, business developer, CEO and board member. He spent four years at Celyad Oncology (2014-2018) as Vice-President Business Development & Intellectual Property (“BD & IP”), and has insightful knowledge of both the company and the CAR-T space. Georges Rawadi has a genuine passion for seeking and creating new business opportunities.

Georges Rawadi currently holds a number of Board positions and consultancy roles in the biotechnology industry. Recently, he has served as CEO and Board member of Ysopia Bioscience (France), Vice-President BD & IP of Celyad Oncology and Vice-President Business Development of Cellectis (France – Nasdaq listed company).

Georges Rawadi holds a Master Degree in Biochemistry, a Master Degree in Microanalysis, a Ph.D. in Microbiology and an Executive Master in Management and Strategy in the Health Industry.

Hilde Windels, Chair of the Board, commented: “It is with great enthusiasm that we announce that Georges has been appointed as our new CEO. His in-depth expertise in the CAR-T space and his significant BD and IP expertise are great assets that will help Celyad Oncology to excel in its next phase of growth. We congratulate Georges and wish him all the best in his new role.”

Georges Rawadi added: “I am passionate about the space in which Celyad Oncology is operating and strongly believe in the value of its IP estate and efforts to overcome the current limitations of CAR-T approaches. As such, I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to join Celyad Oncology. I look forward to working with the team and the board, whose passion and vision I share.”

Michel Lussier, Interim CEO and member of the Board, commented: “We are convinced that Georges’s solid business development track record and immuno-oncology in-depth knowledge will make Georges a great leader for Celyad Oncology. We look forward to work with Georges in monetizing our IP and research assets, ensuring that Celyad Oncology can make an impact on a global scale.”

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