PARIS: Sensorion, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on hearing loss disorders, said Tuesday that Fred Chereau will become chief executive officer effective June 1, 2026, as the company prepares for pivotal clinical milestones in its gene therapy pipeline.
Chereau brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries, with expertise in rare disease drug development and regenerative medicine, a statement noted.
He most recently served as senior vice president of strategy and business development at Alexion, the rare disease unit of AstraZeneca, after joining through the 2022 acquisition of LogicBio Therapeutics, where he had been president and CEO.
“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,” Amit Munshi, chairman of Sensorion’s board, said in a statement. Munshi has served as interim CEO since February 2026 and will remain chairman.
Chereau previously served as president and COO of aTyr Pharma, and as president and CEO of Pervasis Therapeutics, which was acquired by Shire Pharmaceuticals. He began his career at Genzyme, where he spent a decade, eventually becoming vice president and general manager of the cardiovascular business unit. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and serves on the board of Coave Therapeutics.
“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,” Chereau said. “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.”
The company also announced that Dr. Géraldine Honnet, chief medical officer since February 2020, is stepping down to join a privately held biotechnology company. During her tenure, Sensorion transitioned from a preclinical-stage company to an active clinical-stage gene therapy organization, initiating the Audiogene Phase 1/2 trial and advancing SENS-601 toward first-in-human development.
Sensorion’s pipeline includes two gene therapy programs developed in collaboration with the Institut Pasteur: SENS-501 (OTOF-GT), targeting deafness caused by otoferlin gene mutations, currently in a Phase 1/2 trial; and GJB2-GT, targeting hearing loss related to GJB2 gene mutations. The company also has a clinical-stage small molecule, SENS-401 (Arazasetron), being studied for cisplatin-induced ototoxicity and other hearing loss indications.
Sensorion is traded on Euronext Paris under the symbol ALSEN.
