Spur Therapeutics Announces Executive Transitions
CEO Michael Parini to Transition to Chair of the Board of Directors, effective July 31, 2026
Samantha Roberts, MD, PhD, Executive Partner at Syncona, to Join as Board Director
Henning Stennicke, PhD, CSO, Appointed Chief Operating Officer to Lead Company Operations
LONDON, July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spur Therapeutics today announced that CEO Michael Parini will transition to Chair of the Board of Directors, effective July 31, 2026. Current CSO Henning Stennicke, PhD, will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) as of August 1 and will be responsible for primary operational leadership and decision-making.
“Over the last five years, Spur has made significant progress under Michael’s leadership, having reset the company strategy, prioritized its pipeline, and advanced its lead asset FLT201 through the clinic to Phase 3 development, and today the company is well positioned to execute strongly on its goals,” said Chris Hollowood, PhD, current Board Chair. “With this strong momentum, now is an ideal time for this transition. Dr. Stennicke is ideally suited to assume operational leadership for the company, given his strong track record as CSO and his deep industry knowledge and experience throughout the product lifecycle.”
As Board Chair, Mr. Parini will guide the company strategy and provide counsel on ongoing business development priorities. As Mr. Parini transitions to Board Chair, Dr. Hollowood will remain on the Board as a Director, bringing a wealth of expertise in the gene therapy space and important continuity. In addition, Dr. Samantha Roberts, Executive Partner at Syncona, will join as a Board Director. Dr. Roberts has over 20 years of experience across clinical, operational, private sector, and academic roles in healthcare, and previously served as Chief Executive of NICE. Dr. Roberts’ experience and expertise in market access and reimbursement will provide valuable insights to help unlock the full potential of FLT201.
Dr. Stennicke has served as CSO of Spur since 2022 and brings 25 years of highly relevant experience leading drug development with rare diseases from discovery through clinical development and regulatory approval, including leadership roles at Novo Nordisk.
“I look forward to leading Spur at a time of such dynamic growth for the company, thanks in large part to the momentum Michael cultivated during his tenure. The company’s advanced approach to gene therapy is truly differentiated, and I am eager to see FLT201 through its pivotal trial, registration and eventual market delivery to address the significant and persistent unmet need in the Gaucher community,” added Dr. Stennicke. “I look forward to partnering with our leadership team and Board to advance Spur’s mission and strategic priorities.”
About Spur Therapeutics
Spur Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing life-changing gene therapies for debilitating chronic conditions. By optimizing every component of its product candidates, Spur aims to unlock the true potential of gene therapy to realize outsized clinical results. Spur is advancing a breakthrough gene therapy candidate for Gaucher disease and has a preclinical gene therapy candidate for Parkinson’s disease. Expanding our impact, and advancing the practice of genetic medicine.
Toward life-changing therapies, and brighter futures. Toward More™
For more information, visit www.spurtherapeutics.com or connect with Spur on LinkedIn.
Contact
media@spurtherapeutics.com
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
