CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Sensorion has appointed Fred Chereau as chief executive officer, effective June 1, as the clinical-stage biotechnology company advances its hearing loss therapy pipeline.
Sensorion is developing therapies intended to restore, treat and prevent hearing loss disorders, including gene therapy programs for genetic forms of hearing loss. The company said Chereau brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries, with expertise in rare disease drug development, regenerative medicine and business development.
Chereau most recently served as senior vice president of strategy and business development at Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease. He previously was president and CEO of LogicBio Therapeutics, a genomic medicine company focused on rare diseases that was acquired by Alexion in 2022.
“I am very pleased to welcome Fred, whose appointment represents a significant step forward for Sensorion and comes at a time of strong momentum across our pipeline. Fred brings an exceptional combination of rare disease expertise, deep familiarity with the gene therapy space, and a track record of high-value business development that will play a key role in accelerating the Company’s programs through their next critical phase. His leadership and business acumen are precisely what Sensorion needs as we approach pivotal milestones, and I look forward to working closely with him to deliver on the Company’s clinical and strategic ambitions,” said Amit Munshi, chairman of Sensorion’s board.
Before LogicBio, Chereau served as president and chief operating officer of aTyr Pharma. He also led Pervasis Therapeutics as president and CEO, guiding the company to its acquisition by Shire Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade at Genzyme, eventually serving as vice president and general manager of the cardiovascular business unit.
Chereau currently serves on the board of directors of Coave Therapeutics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Paris University, a master’s degree from ESC La Rochelle and an MBA from INSEAD.
“I am thrilled to join Sensorion at such a defining moment for the field of hearing loss,” Chereau said. “Sensorion has built something rare: a focused gene therapy platform with compelling science, a clear clinical path with SENS-601 as the first gene therapy for the most common form of genetic hearing loss, and the trust of leading academic institutions, regulatory agencies, and top-tier investors. My goal is to build on this strong foundation, deepening our partnerships, advancing our programs with urgency, and ultimately delivering transformative therapies to patients and families living with hearing disorders who have waited far too long for solutions.”
Munshi, who has served as interim CEO since February, will continue as chairman of the board.
Sensorion also said Géraldine Honnet, M.D., its chief medical officer since February 2020, is stepping down to join a privately held biotechnology company. During her tenure, Sensorion advanced from a preclinical-stage company to an active clinical-stage gene therapy organization, including the start of the Audiogene Phase 1/2 trial and advancement of SENS-601 toward first-in-human development.
