Valerio Therapeutics Appoints Gilles Besin as Chief Executive Officer and Announces Results of its Annual General Meeting

  • Seasoned biotech leader with deep expertise in RNA medicines, targeted delivery, and in vivo cell therapy joins to drive Valerio’s next phase of innovation in precision targeted therapeutics
  • Gilles Besin, Ph.D., appointed Chief Executive Officer effective 1 July 2026, as part of a planned governance transition, bringing a proven track record of building and scaling biotechnology companies through major value-creating milestones directly aligned with the Company’s strategic roadmap
  • Approval by the shareholders’ general meeting of all resolutions recommended by the Board of Directors

Villejuif, 16 June 2026 — Valerio Therapeutics (FR0010095596 – ALVIO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering next-generation precision-guided therapeutics (the “Company“), today announces the appointment of Gilles Besin, Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Directors, effective 1 July 2026, as well as the results of the votes at its shareholders’ general meeting held on 16 June 2026 (the “General Meeting“).

The General Meeting approved all resolutions recommended by the Board of Directors, including the renewal of Antonin de Fougerolles and Financière de la Montagne as directors, and the appointment of new directors Eric Vivier, Wael Jdey and Gilles Besin, who has also been appointed Chief Executive Officer. As part of this governance transition, Julien Miara, having successfully led the Company through its strategic transformation, will step down from his role as Chief Executive Officer, and Antoine Barouky will step down from his role as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, effective June 30, 2026. Under their leadership, the Company underwent a deep transformation of its operating model, refocusing its activities on high-potential opportunities and laying the foundations for its next phase of growth. Both will remain members of the Board of Directors and will support Dr. Besin to ensure a seamless transition and the ongoing execution of the Company’s strategic priorities.

“We are delighted to welcome Gilles to lead Valerio Therapeutics into its next chapter. Gilles brings exactly the profile Valerio needs for its next phase of development: deep RNA and targeted-delivery expertise, strong translational leadership, and direct experience in building high-value programs in strategically important fields. His appointment marks an important step in strengthening Valerio’s execution capabilities and accelerating the development of our internal ambitions, partnerships and broader strategic roadmap.” said Jacques Mallet, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

 Dr. Besin brings over two decades of experience in drug discovery, immunology, and RNA-based medicine, with a proven track record of building and scaling biotechnology companies through major value-creating milestones. Dr. Gilles Besin most recently served as Chief Scientific Officer of Orbital Therapeutics, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based RNA medicine company, which was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in December 2025 for $1.5 billion. He subsequently joined BMS as Head of RNA and In Vivo CAR-T Cells and Site Head for the Cambridge Kendall Square campus. Prior to Orbital, he was Vice President and Head of Discovery Research at Affinivax, where he played a key role in the company’s 2022 $3.3 billion acquisition by GlaxoSmithKline. Earlier in his career, Dr. Besin held research and development leadership roles at In-Cell-Art, Moderna, and several academic and translational research institutions, establishing deep expertise in immunology, nucleic acid therapeutics, and drug discovery platform development.

“Valerio Therapeutics sits at a genuinely exciting intersection of RNA science, antibody engineering, and precision medicine, allowing a real breakthrough in target delivery – areas that I believe hold enormous, untapped potential. I am inspired by the innovative foundation the team has built and see a compelling opportunity to advance these platforms into meaningful therapies for patients. I look forward to working with the talented team at Valerio and our stakeholders to build on this foundation with discipline, creativity, and ambition,.” said Gilles Besin, Ph.D., incoming Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Besin’s appointment marks a new step in the Company’s strategic trajectory. Building on the development of its proprietary V-Body and integrated chemistry platforms, the creation of InVimmune, its first subsidiary dedicated to in vivo cell therapy, and a growing base of collaboration agreements, the Company has established a differentiated position in extra-hepatic targeted delivery of oligonucleotides. Dr. Besin’s deep expertise in RNA medicines, targeted delivery and in vivo cell therapy is directly aligned with this roadmap and positions him to accelerate the Company’s next phase of growth.

The Company believes that this governance transition will further strengthen its ability to execute its strategic roadmap. Building on the momentum generated over the past year, the Company is actively pursuing additional initiatives that could meaningfully enhance its capabilities and accelerate its development trajectory. The Company will keep the market informed of any material developments in this regard.

The results of the votes on all resolutions submitted to the General Meeting will be made available on the Company’s website (https://valeriotx.com/).

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About Gilles Besin, Ph.D.

Gilles Besin holds a Ph.D. and has built his career at the forefront of immunology and biotherapeutics. He has led scientific teams at leading biotech companies in both Europe and the United States, contributing to the development of vaccines, RNA medicines, and next-generation immunotherapies. His leadership has been instrumental in two major industry acquisitions totaling over $4.8 billion in combined value. Born in France, Dr. Besin brings both a global perspective and deep roots in European biotech innovation.

About Valerio Therapeutics

Valerio Therapeutics (FR0010095596 – ALVIO) is a biotechnology company specializing in the development of technology platforms dedicated to the targeted delivery of innovative therapies. The Company is listed on Euronext Growth Paris.

For more information: https://valeriotx.com/

 CONTACTS

Valerio Therapeutics

Investor Relations: ir@valeriotx.com | +33 (0) 1 45 58 95 10

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding Valerio Therapeutics and its activities. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Valerio Therapeutics considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as they are subject to numerous risks, including those set out in the 2025 annual financial report published on April 28, 2026 and available on the Valerio Therapeutics website, as well as changes in the economic environment, financial markets and the markets in which Valerio Therapeutics operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Valerio Therapeutics or not currently considered material by Valerio Therapeutics. The occurrence of all or part of these risks could cause actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Valerio Therapeutics to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe for, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for, shares of Valerio Therapeutics in any country. The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a violation of local laws and regulations. Any recipient of this press release must inform themselves of and comply with such local restrictions.