PHILADELPHIA, PA — Context Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CNTX) has announced the appointment of Dr. Karen Chagin, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer (CMO), effective June 9, 2025. Dr. Chagin will succeed Dr. Karen Smith, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, LLM, who has served as interim CMO. Dr. Smith will continue to contribute as a member of the company’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Chagin joins Context with more than a decade of experience in clinical development and regulatory strategy, specializing in T cell therapies for solid tumors. Prior to this role, she served as Senior Vice President of Early-Stage Development at Adaptimmune Therapeutics, where she played a key role in the development and approval of Tecelra® (afamitresgene autoleucel), the first engineered cell therapy approved in the U.S. for treating solid tumors.
Her leadership portfolio also includes positions at Tmunity Therapeutics, where she served as CMO before its acquisition by Kite Pharma, a subsidiary of Gilead. Following the acquisition, she became Head of Kite Philadelphia. Earlier in her career, Dr. Chagin worked in clinical development roles at Adaptimmune, Janssen, and GSK. She holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and earned her M.D. at Temple University School of Medicine. Her post-graduate training includes a residency at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago and a fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“Dr. Chagin’s deep experience in developing advanced T cell therapies and leading cross-functional clinical teams makes her an ideal fit for Context at this pivotal stage in our growth,” said Martin Lehr, CEO of Context. “Her track record in moving programs from early development through approval brings invaluable insight as we advance our portfolio of T cell engaging bispecific therapeutics. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the team. I would also like to sincerely thank Dr. Karen Smith for stepping in as interim CMO during this transition period and for her continued leadership as a member of our Board.”
Dr. Chagin expressed enthusiasm for her new role, stating, “I’m excited to join Context at such a critical and promising time in the Company’s evolution. The opportunity to advance a differentiated portfolio of T cell therapies with the potential to meaningfully impact patients with solid tumors is incredibly compelling. I look forward to working with the team to build on the strong foundation already in place and to help drive the next phase of clinical development.”
To support her employment, Context Therapeutics will grant Dr. Chagin an inducement stock option award comprising 153,000 shares of the company’s common stock. This non-qualified stock option, set to be granted on the date she begins her tenure, will have an exercise price equal to the closing price of the stock on that day. The award will follow a vesting schedule, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date and the remainder vesting in equal monthly increments over the next three years, subject to continued employment and the terms outlined in the stock option agreement.
This leadership appointment reflects Context Therapeutics’ commitment to advancing its portfolio of T cell therapies and further solidifying its position in the biopharmaceutical industry.
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