Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRB), (Seres or the Company), a leading live biotherapeutics company, today announced the appointment of Richard N. Kender as Executive Chair and Interim Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Kender, who brings over 35 years of biopharma executive experience, including as Senior Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Licensing at Merck & Co., has served on the Seres Board of Directors since September 2014. Mr. DesRosier and Ms. Thorell, previously co-CEOs of Seres, will continue to serve as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively.
As announced last month, Seres has implemented a corporate strategy to advance its live biotherapeutic programs in inflammatory and immune (I&I) diseases, with a focus on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and immune checkpoint-related enterocolitis (irEC). A clinical readout from the fully enrolled investigator-sponsored SER-155 study in irEC, being conducted at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, is expected in Q2 2026.
Stephen Berenson, outgoing Seres Board Chairman, stated, “On behalf of the entire board, I wish to thank Tom and Marella for their continued strong leadership. They provided essential continuity of leadership; drove the organization to advance SER-155 to Phase 2 readiness; and shaped the strategy for the next phase of Seres’ development, including the Company’s engagement with potential strategic partners. We are pleased to continue to work with both of them in their roles as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
“I also welcome my fellow director, Richard Kender, into his new role as Executive Chair and Interim CEO. The board and I concluded that Rich, with his extensive experience in business development and licensing, along with an intimate knowledge of Seres, is ideally suited to partner closely with Seres leadership to drive expanded translation of the Company’s live biotherapeutics platform into valuable drug programs and to create meaningful partnerships with collaborators. I look forward to remaining on the board of directors, supporting Rich and the Company overall.”
Richard Kender, Executive Chair and interim CEO of Seres, said, “I am excited and honored to lead Seres during a period when we have the opportunity to create life-saving products with meaningful value across a portfolio of highly promising therapeutic candidates. SER-155, our Breakthrough Therapy designated program for patients undergoing allo-HSCT to treat high-risk blood cancers, is well positioned to advance into Phase 2, pending funding. In Q2, we expect to report clinical data from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) investigator-sponsored study of SER-155 in immune checkpoint inhibitor–related enterocolitis, a serious complication of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy that disrupts cancer treatment for up to 50% of patients, representing a sizable opportunity. Alongside advancing our programs, we are pursuing strategic collaborations with partners positioned to support development across our pipeline and platform and to help us realize the broader potential application of live biotherapeutics in multiple I&I diseases. In addition, I know I speak for the entire board in thanking Stephen for his unwavering dedication and leadership as board chairman over the last six years, which have been core to Seres’ success. The thoughtfulness and creativity Stephen displayed enabled the Company to foster a culture of excellence and innovation, and we are pleased he will continue to contribute as a director.”
In connection with Seres’ early-stage strategic focus, Matthew Henn, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, assumes the additional role of President of Seres, and Kelly Brady, M.S., SVP Clinical Development, becomes Seres’ Chief Operating Officer. Both are long-tenured Seres team members who were instrumental in the development, approval and launch of VOWST, the first-ever oral microbiome therapeutic. The Company believes that their experience in establishing the Company’s core live biotherapeutics product (LBP) technology and collaborating with the FDA to create the regulatory path for a novel technology will be extremely valuable as Seres advances its programs.
Source: globenewswire.com
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