LEIDEN, the Netherlands, May 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProQR Therapeutics N.V. (Nasdaq: PRQR ), remembers co-founder and supervisory board member Henri A. Termeer, who unexpectedly passed away Friday May 12, 2017 at age 71 at his house in Marblehead, MA.
“We are devastated by the unexpected passing of our friend and co-founder.” said Daniel A. de Boer, Chief Executive Officer of ProQR. “Henri was a great mentor, a passionate patient advocate and a key factor in establishing ProQR. His passion to do the right thing in the interest of patients is unparalleled. We are honored to have had the opportunity to work with him so closely and learn from his wealth of experience. He was a true inspiration for all of us, and we will continue to build on the path he helped us to set out. Our thoughts go out to Henri’s wife Belinda, his daughter Adriana and his son Nicholas in this very difficult time.”
Dinko Valerio, Chairman of the Supervisory Board commented: “Henri’s independent thinking and experience contributed greatly to the start and growth of ProQR. Working with him was an honour and a great pleasure. We will miss a friend and inspirer.”
About Henri A. Termeer 28 February 1946 – 12 May 2017
Henri was our co-founder, vice chairman and has served on our supervisory board since January 2014. From October 1983 to June 2011, Henri served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Genzyme Corporation. For ten years prior to joining Genzyme, Henri worked for Baxter International Laboratories, Inc., a manufacturer of human health care products. Henri resigned from Genzyme in June 2011 following the acquisition of Genzyme by Sanofi. Widely acknowledged for his contributions to the biotechnology industry and health care field, Henri was active in the areas of humanitarian assistance, policy issues, and innovation in providing access to health care. He was a member of the board of each of Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners HealthCare and a member of the board of fellows of Harvard Medical School. Henri was also a member of the board of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and serves on its Executive Committee and a board member of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). He was chairman emeritus of the New England Healthcare Institute, a nonprofit, applied research health policy organization he was instrumental in founding. Henri was a board member of ProQR Therapeutics N.V., Abiomed Inc., Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Verastem, Inc., Moderna Therapeutics and Medical Simulation, and was a board member of Allergan, Inc. from 2014 through its acquisition by Actavis in March 2015. In 2008, he was appointed to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s Council of Economic Advisors. Henri was chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s board of directors from 2010-2011. Henri studied economics at the Economische Hogeschool (Erasmus University, the Netherlands) and earned an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia.
About ProQR
ProQR Therapeutics is dedicated to changing lives through the creation of transformative RNA medicines for the treatment of severe genetic rare diseases such as cystic fibrosis, Leber’s congenital amaurosis Type 10 and dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Based on our unique proprietary RNA repair platform technologies we are growing our pipeline with patients and loved ones in mind. *Since 2012*
Contact: Smital Shah Chief Financial Officer T: +1 415 231 6431 pr@proqr.com
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