Ocugen, Inc. has appointed Rita Johnson‑Greene as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective February 9 2026. Johnson‑Greene brings more than 20 years of finance and operations experience in the life‑science sector, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer at the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine from April 2023 to January 2026. Prior to that she held senior finance roles at Genetix Biotherapeutics (formerly bluebird bio), Spark Therapeutics, and AstraZeneca, giving her deep exposure to the gene‑therapy value chain.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for Ocugen, which is preparing to file its first of three Biologics License Applications (BLAs) in 2026 for its lead candidate OCU400. The company’s cash balance stood at $32.6 million as of the most recent quarter, a slight decline from $32.9 million reported in Q3 2025, while its quarterly operating burn averaged $14 million—consistent with the $14.4 million to $19.4 million range seen in recent quarters. With a runway that is expected to last until the fourth quarter of 2026 without additional capital, the new CFO’s mandate is to secure further financing and manage the company’s liquidity.
"Mrs. Johnson‑Greene’s diverse background across strategic roles at leading gene‑therapy companies makes her well‑suited to serve as Ocugen’s CFO," said Dr. Shankar Musunuri, Chairman, CEO, and Co‑founder. "We look forward to her leadership as we enter a transformative time at Ocugen, beginning with the submission of the first of three BLAs this year."
Johnson‑Greene’s track record includes scaling operations and raising capital for early‑stage gene‑therapy ventures. At the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine she helped secure a $30 million credit facility in November 2024 and led a $22.5 million registered direct offering in early 2026, both of which extended the company’s cash runway into late 2026. Her experience is expected to strengthen Ocugen’s financial discipline, investor relations, and ability to pursue strategic partnerships or equity offerings.
Ocugen’s modifier gene‑therapy platform, which aims to reset cellular homeostasis rather than target a single mutation, underpins its pipeline of OCU400 (Retinitis Pigmentosa), OCU410ST (Stargardt disease), and OCU410 (geographic atrophy). The company’s regulatory strategy includes a 2026 BLA for OCU400 and a 2027 BLA target for OCU410ST, with Phase 2 data for OCU410 slated for release in Q1 2026. The CFO’s role will be pivotal in aligning the company’s financial resources with these milestones, ensuring that capital is available to support clinical development and eventual commercialization.
With the new CFO in place, Ocugen signals a proactive approach to its liquidity challenges while maintaining momentum toward regulatory submissions. The appointment is expected to reassure investors that the company is taking decisive steps to secure the capital necessary to advance its platform and bring its therapies to market.
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