Genmab Appoints Judith Klimovsky, MD, as Chief Development Officer


Company Announcement

  • Judith Klimovsky, MD, appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer (CDO)
  • CDO joins Genmab’s current Executive team of CEO and CFO
  • Dr. Klimovsky to start at Genmab on February 13, 2017 

Copenhagen, Denmark; February 8, 2017 – Genmab A/S (Nasdaq Copenhagen: GEN) announced today the appointment of Judith Klimovsky, MD, as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer (CDO). Dr. Klimovsky will lead the company’s global product development activities and will join the Executive team of Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jan van de Winkel and Chief Financial Officer, David Eatwell. This appointment reflects Genmab’s decision to strengthen both the leadership structure and global organization as the company develops into a strong, sustainably profitable international biotechnology company. Dr. Klimovsky will be responsible for Genmab’s product development strategy in line with the company’s corporate strategy and the 2025 Vision. Dr. Klimovsky has had a distinguished career in drug development, most recently serving as Senior Vice President and Global Head, Oncology Clinical Development, at Novartis.  She is a hematologist by training with extensive experience in various roles at BMS, Merck and Novartis, as well as having experience in hematology clinical practice. Dr. Klimovsky has broad expertise in Phase I-IV drug development and in medical affairs. She has strong leadership skills and has been instrumental in the development of several key cancer drugs.

“We are very pleased to welcome Judith to Genmab. She has a strong  track record and skills in cancer drug development which will further strengthen the company as we build a winning team to continue our success in the future on the road to becoming a sustainably profitable biotech company,” said Jan van de Winkel, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Genmab. “With Judith heading our product development efforts we will be able to bring forward truly differentiated products that have the potential to transform the treatment of cancer and provide great benefits to patients and their families in the future.” 

“I am very much looking forward to joining Genmab at this exciting time in the company’s development. Having watched Genmab’s development in recent years, I have been impressed by the company’s  science-based approach, world-class antibody skills, robust product pipeline and competencies in drug development, and I’m eager to start working with the team and state-of-the art portfolio,” said Dr. Judith Klimovsky, new Chief Development Officer at Genmab. 

Dr. Klimovsky will join Genmab on February 13, 2017 and will be based at the company’s Princeton, United States location, whilst travelling regularly to the company’s locations in Copenhagen, Denmark and Utrecht, The Netherlands.

About Judith Klimovsky, MD
Dr. Klimovsky comes from a role as Senior Vice President and Global Head, Oncology Clinical Development at Novartis. She is a recognized drug development leader in the pharmaceutical industry and has previously served in senior roles at Merck and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. Dr. Klimovsky has also held positions in clinical practice in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

About Genmab
Genmab is a publicly traded, international biotechnology company specializing in the creation and development of differentiated antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.  Founded in 1999, the company has two approved antibodies, DARZALEX® (daratumumab) for the treatment of certain multiple myeloma indications, and Arzerra® (ofatumumab) for the treatment of certain chronic lymphocytic leukemia indications.  Daratumumab is in clinical development for additional multiple myeloma indications, other blood cancers, and solid tumors.  A subcutaneous formulation of ofatumumab is in development for relapsing multiple sclerosis.  Genmab also has a broad clinical and pre-clinical product pipeline.  Genmab's technology base consists of validated and proprietary next generation antibody technologies - the DuoBody® platform for generation of bispecific antibodies, and the HexaBody® platform which creates effector function enhanced antibodies.  The company intends to leverage these technologies to create opportunities for full or co-ownership of future products. Genmab has alliances with top tier pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.  For more information visit www.genmab.com.

Contact:          
Rachel Curtis Gravesen, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications
T: +45 33 44 77 20; M: +45 25 12 62 60; E: r.gravesen@genmab.com

This Company Announcement contains forward looking statements. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend” and “plan” and similar expressions identify forward looking statements. Actual results or performance may differ materially from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such statements. The important factors that could cause our actual results or performance to differ materially include, among others, risks associated with pre-clinical and clinical development of products, uncertainties related to the outcome and conduct of clinical trials including unforeseen safety issues, uncertainties related to product manufacturing, the lack of market acceptance of our products, our inability to manage growth, the competitive environment in relation to our business area and markets, our inability to attract and retain suitably qualified personnel, the unenforceability or lack of protection of our patents and proprietary rights, our relationships with affiliated entities, changes and developments in technology which may render our products obsolete, and other factors. For a further discussion of these risks, please refer to the risk management sections in Genmab’s most recent financial reports, which are available on www.genmab.com. Genmab does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward looking statements in this Company Announcement nor to confirm such statements in relation to actual results, unless required by law.

Genmab A/S and its subsidiaries own the following trademarks: Genmab®; the Y-shaped Genmab logo®; Genmab in combination with the Y-shaped Genmab logo™; the DuoBody logo®; the HexaBody logo™; HuMax®; HuMax-CD20®; DuoBody®; HexaBody® and UniBody®. Arzerra® is a trademark of Novartis AG or its affiliates. DARZALEX® is a trademark of Janssen Biotech, Inc.

Company Announcement no. 04
CVR no. 2102 3884
LEI Code 529900MTJPDPE4MHJ122

Genmab A/S
Bredgade 34E
1260 Copenhagen K
Denmark


Attachments

04 CA_CDO_uk_080217.pdf