uniQure Appoints Matthew Kapusta as Chief Executive Officer

uniQure announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved the appointment of Matthew Kapusta as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Kapusta has served as interim CEO since September 2016 and as Chief Financial Officer since January 2015.  Mr. Kapusta will continue to serve as an executive member of the uniQure Board of Directors.

“Matt has provided exceptional leadership over the past two years, most notably in his capacity as interim CEO where he led a comprehensive strategic planning process that has focused our product pipeline and streamlined our operations,” stated Philip Astley-Sparke, Chairman of uniQure’s Board of Directors. “During his tenure at uniQure, Matt has been highly results-driven and has demonstrated an expertise well beyond finance, including a deep understanding of all aspects of our business. The Board has full confidence that Matt is the right person to continue to lead uniQure, and we look forward to working with him as we bring our lead program in hemophilia B into late-stage clinical development and position the program for commercial success.”

Prior to joining uniQure, Mr. Kapusta was Senior Vice President at AngioDynamics from 2011 to 2014, responsible for business development, strategic planning and national accounts. Prior to this, he served as Vice President, Finance for Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics. Mr. Kapusta’s career also includes more than a decade of investment banking experience focused on emerging life sciences companies. Mr. Kapusta was Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Banking at Collins Stewart, and held various positions at Wells Fargo Securities, Robertson Stephens and PaineWebber. Mr. Kapusta holds a Master of Business Administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business, a Bachelor of Business Administration from University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and earned his Certified Public Accountant license in 1996 while at Ernst & Young.

“I am honored and grateful for the trust that the Board has placed in me to lead uniQure at this important stage in the company’s evolution,” stated Mr. Kapusta.  “This is an exciting time for uniQure, and I am fully committed to the Company’s success and the execution across our core strategic goals.  As we head into 2017, we are fully focused on achieving several important catalysts, including rapidly progressing our hemophilia B program into late-stage development and advancing our gene therapy candidates for congestive heart failure and Huntington’s disease into the clinic.”

Mr. Kapusta will maintain responsibilities for financial oversight and management of the Company, while a search is conducted for a new Chief Financial Officer.  Christian Klemt will continue in his role of Global Controller and closely support Mr. Kapusta.