• Industry veteran with expertise in oncology and immuno-oncology and a strong track record of advancing programs through clinical development

PHILADELPHIA, May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Carisma Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CARM) ("Carisma" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative immunotherapies, today announced the appointment of Eugene P. Kennedy, M.D., F.A.C.S. as the Company's Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Kennedy brings over 15 years of clinical and industry experience, including cross-functional leadership driving clinical development and regulatory strategies for oncology and immuno-oncology focused organizations. In the role of Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kennedy will be responsible for overseeing Carisma's clinical development, regulatory and medical affairs functions.

"On behalf of Carisma, I am delighted to welcome Gene to our team," said Steven Kelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carisma. "With his extensive expertise in oncology and a proven track record in designing and executing clinical trials for solid tumors, Dr. Kennedy brings invaluable insights to our organization that should immediately have a positive impact. We are excited to add his leadership to our organization to build on the momentum in our clinical program and to help advance our pipeline to deliver innovative treatments to patients."

"I am excited to join Carisma, a company at the forefront of developing engineered macrophages across various therapeutic areas," said Dr. Kennedy. "It is an exciting time for Carisma as it progresses its anti-HER2 program through clinical development. Throughout my career, I have always been driven to seek out new modalities with the potential to profoundly impact patients' lives, and Carisma represents an extraordinary opportunity for me to fulfill this mission."

Before joining Carisma, Dr. Kennedy served as Chief Medical Officer at Galera Therapeutics, where he oversaw the development of the company's radiotherapy in cancer. Prior to his time at Galera, Dr. Kennedy served as Chief Medical Officer at Innovative Cellular Therapeutics, where he played a pivotal role in developing the Phase 1 clinical protocol and securing a first-in-human IND for a solid tumor CAR T-cell therapy. Previously, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Lumos Pharma, where he was responsible for clinical development strategy and execution, alongside investor and patient engagement efforts. Before Lumos, Dr. Kennedy held the role of Chief Medical Officer at NewLink Genetics, overseeing clinical trials across multiple product candidates and indications. Prior to joining NewLink Genetics, he served as Associate Professor of Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University and held leadership positions as Chief of the Section of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery and Co-Director of the Jefferson Pancreas, Biliary & Related Cancers Center. Dr. Kennedy also has practiced, taught, and held leadership roles at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Louisiana State University. Dr. Kennedy received a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and an M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia.

About Carisma

Carisma Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on utilizing our proprietary macrophage and monocyte cell engineering platform to develop transformative immunotherapies to treat cancer and other serious diseases. We have created a comprehensive, differentiated proprietary cell therapy platform focused on engineered macrophages and monocytes, cells that play a crucial role in both the innate and adaptive immune response. Carisma is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, please visit www.carismatx.com.

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