Henri Termeer
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Henri A. Termeer (February 28, 1946 – May 12, 2017) was a Dutch
biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...
executive and entrepreneur. He served as CEO at
Genzyme Genzyme (also known as Genzyme Transgenics Corp or GTC Biotherapeutics) was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. From its acquisition in 2011 to 2022 Genzyme operated as a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi. In 2010, ...
from 1981 to 2011. Termeer created a business model, subsequently adopted by others in the industry, based on charging high prices for therapies for rare genetic disorders affecting children, known as orphan diseases. Genzyme used biological processes to manufacture drugs that were not easily copied by
generic drug A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...
manufacturers. The drugs were protected by orphan drug acts, limiting competition and ensuring coverage by publicly funded insurers. As CEO of Genzyme, he developed corporate strategies for growth including optimizing institutional embeddedness, nurturing networks of influential groups and clusters: doctors, private equity, patient-groups, insurance, healthcare umbrella organizations, state and local government, and alumni. Termeer was "connected to 311 board members in 17 different organizations across 20 different industries". Oral history conducted by Ted Everson, Jennifer Dionisio, Pei Koay, and Arnold Thackray, May 23, December 7, 2006, August 2, 2007, December 18, 2008 & September 30, 2011 Termeer was named as one of the top 50 people who have advanced rare disease research, in a list produced by Terrapin for the World Orphan Drug Congress. The congress described him as an "inspiration and pioneer", many of whose protégés have gone on to lead other successful companies in the rare disease and biotech sector.


Education

Termeer studied economics at
Erasmus University Erasmus University Rotterdam ( ; abbreviated as EUR) is a public university, public research university located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The university is named after Desiderius Erasmus, Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, a 15th-century Christia ...
in the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
. In 1973, he completed his MBA at Darden School of Business at the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...
. He received an honorary Doctor of Science from the
University of Massachusetts The University of Massachusetts is the Public university, public university system of the Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes six campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Lowell ...
.


Career


Baxter

Termeer began his career in the medical and healthcare industry in 1973 when he started working as manager of international product planning for
Deerfield, Illinois Deerfield is a village in Lake County, Illinois, Lake and Cook County, Illinois, Cook counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A northern Chicago metropolitan area, suburb of Chicago, Deerfield is located on the North Shore (Chicago), North Shore, ...
-based Travenol Laboratories Inc. now known as Baxter. From 1975 to 1976 he was Baxter's international marketing manager. From 1976 to 1979 he was general manager for Travenol GMBH in
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
. From 1979 to 1981 he was executive vice president of the Hyland Therapeutics division of Baxter Travenol in
Glendale, California Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles. As of 2024, Glendale ha ...
. Hyland sold Factor VIII, Factor IX,
immunoglobulins An antibody (Ab) or immunoglobulin (Ig) is a large, Y-shaped protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily which is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize antigens such as bacteria and viruses, including those that cause di ...
, and
albumin Albumin is a family of globular proteins, the most common of which are the serum albumins. All of the proteins of the albumin family are water- soluble, moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Alb ...
. The plasma was collected through
plasmapheresis Plasmapheresis (from the Greek language, Greek πλάσμα, ''plasma'', something molded, and ἀφαίρεσις ''aphairesis'', taking away) is the removal, treatment, and return or exchange of blood plasma or components thereof from and to the ...
performed at collection centers all around the country, but there were ethical concerns raised over payments for plasma being made to vulnerable people. Standards for donating plasma are set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Almost all plasmapheresis in the US is performed by automated methods such as the Plasma Collection System (PCS2) made by Haemonetics or the Auto pheresis-C (Auto-C) made by Fenwal, Inc., a former division of Baxter International. Termeer described this as the beginning of biotechnology. At that time Baxter was developing tests for
Chagas disease Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a tropical parasitic disease caused by ''Trypanosoma cruzi''. It is spread mostly by insects in the subfamily Triatominae, known as "kissing bugs". The symptoms change throughout the ...
which was very prevalent in
Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...
. Termeer was sent to
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
to investigate. After meeting with the military and with the Center for Disease Control he called off the project as unprofitable. Back in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, he was Baxter's International Marketing Manager for several years with the Artificial Organs Division. Monica Higgins profiled Termeer as one of the alumni of the Baxter biopharmaceutical industry firm, the 'Baxter boys'—who produced many of leaders of the biopharmaceutical industry. Higgins noted in 2004 that at that time, e size and extent of Baxter's influence overall asdifficult to ascertain since the biotechnology industry, with eight- to ten-year product development cycles, asstill in its relative infancy." In December 2011, the non-partisan organization Public Campaign criticized Baxter for spending $10.45 million on
lobbying Lobbying is a form of advocacy, which lawfully attempts to directly influence legislators or government officials, such as regulatory agency, regulatory agencies or judiciary. Lobbying involves direct, face-to-face contact and is carried out by va ...
and not paying any taxes during 2008–2010, instead getting $66 million in tax rebates, despite making a profit of $926 million.


Genzyme

In 1983, Termeer joined
Genzyme Genzyme (also known as Genzyme Transgenics Corp or GTC Biotherapeutics) was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. From its acquisition in 2011 to 2022 Genzyme operated as a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi. In 2010, ...
, a two-year-old start-up biotechnology company located in
Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...
. At that time, he described the company as "just three professors from
MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...
and myself and some venture capitalists." as told to Scott Helman According to the ''
Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' staff writer Robert Weisman, "in the formative years of biotechnology, Genzyme was the industry's
Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
, blazing a pathway for creating protein-based treatments for rare diseases". In 1985 he was appointed as Genzyme's CEO, and by 1988 he was chairman. During those years he held positions at Genzyme in Genzyme Tissue Repair, Strategic Planning & Capital Allocation Committee and Member of Risk Oversight Committee, Genzyme Oncology. When Genzyme needed a manufacturing facility, Termeer chose to remain in
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
and use local contractors instead of joining the pharmaceuticals cluster in the
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
and
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
areas.
Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...
professor Michael E. Porter described Termeer's strategy as a cluster, the new economics of competition with all members benefiting from "a strong base of supporting functions and institutions." Under Termeer's leadership, Genzyme built a "critical mass" for its cluster in Massachusetts, a group of institutions that achieved unusual competitive success in the life sciences industry or biotechnology. In 2005 Genzyme chose the specialty pharmacy division of PharmaCare, one of the largest pharmaceutical benefit management companies, as the national network provider for Thyrogen, Genzyme's specialty drug.


Cerezyme and Gaucher's disease

In 1991 the first version of Genzyme's
orphan drug An orphan drug is a medication, pharmaceutical agent that is developed to treat certain rare medical conditions. An orphan drug would not be profitable to produce without government assistance, due to the small population of patients affected by th ...
Alglucerase (brand name Ceredase), the only treatment for
Gaucher's disease Gaucher's disease or Gaucher disease () (GD) is a genetic disorder in which glucocerebroside (a sphingolipid, also known as glucosylceramide) accumulates in cells and certain organs. The disorder is characterized by bruising, fatigue, anemia, low ...
, was approved by the FDA. Termeer explained in a 2005 interview for ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' that, in 1991, one treatment of Cerezyme for one patient took 22,000 placentas annually to manufacture, a difficult and expensive procedure. According to the
Congressional Office of Technology Assessment The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) was an office of the United States Congress that operated from 1974 to 1995. OTA's purpose was to provide congressional members and committees with objective and authoritative analysis of the complex scien ...
, cerezyme cost $1.90 per unit including the cost of manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. Genzyme charged $3.50 a unit. Imiglucerase was granted
orphan drug An orphan drug is a medication, pharmaceutical agent that is developed to treat certain rare medical conditions. An orphan drug would not be profitable to produce without government assistance, due to the small population of patients affected by th ...
status in the US,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, and
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. By 1994 Genzyme had a new version of Cerezyme produced in genetically engineered cells in a process that was easier and cheaper. Although imiglucerase costs only less than 37 cents to manufacture, Genzyme charges $3.70 per unit making a 90% profit. The high price of the medication is part of Genzyme's business strategy for the biotech firm to undertake research and development for other drugs and to allow them to fund programs that distribute a small portion of production for free, so instead of lowering the price, Termeer "decided to use the extra revenue to give additional Cerezyme away free in countries that can't afford to pay the high price. He said Genzyme gives away about 10% of the drug it produces." By 2005 Genzyme had hired 34 people to help patients acquire insurance plans that would cover the cost of their drugs. By 2005 there were still no alternative drugs for patients and most insurers were willing to pay. Genzyme used the profits "to bring new treatments to market for two other rare diseases. It has purchased many small companies to expand into a diversified drug company with
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
,
kidney disease Kidney disease, or renal disease, technically referred to as nephropathy, is damage to or disease of a kidney. Nephritis is an Inflammation, inflammatory kidney disease and has several types according to the location of the inflammation. Infla ...
and diagnostic products, among others." By 2005 although Cerezyme cost the average patient (including babies) $200,000 a year, it could cost a single adult patient as much as $520,000 a year even though it cost Genzyme less than $52,000 to manufacture. In 2005 there were only about 4,500 patients on Cerezyme.


Pompe disease

In 1998, two of Biotech executive John Crowley's children, Megan and Patrick, were diagnosed with a severe neuromuscular disorder, glycogen storage disease type II, also called Pompe's disease. In the face of the children's deteriorating health, the family moved to
Princeton, New Jersey The Municipality of Princeton is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Borough of Princeton and Pri ...
, to be close to doctors specializing in the disease. Crowley worked at
Bristol-Myers Squibb The Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, doing business as Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), is an American multinational pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, BMS is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and consist ...
, but frustrated with the slow pace of research on Pompe's disease, he left the company in March 2000 and took a position as CEO of Novazyme Pharmaceuticals, a
biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...
research company located in
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
which was researching a new experimental treatment for the disease. Crowley was a major force behind the search for a cure. By 2001 when Genzyme acquired Novazyme, Termeer put Crowley in charge of Genzyme's global Pompe program, the largest R&D effort in the company's history, from September 2001 until December 2002. At that time Genzyme was considered to be the world's third largest biotechnology company,Crowley, John
"To Save the Children"
''Notre Dame Lawyer'', Spring 2007. Accessed April 4, 2008.
Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. Executive Profile
''
BusinessWeek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'' (and before that ''Business Week'' and ''The Business Week''), is an American monthly business magazine published 12 times a year. The magazine debuted in New York City in Septembe ...
''. Accessed April 4, 2008.
Genzyme's work eventually bore fruit and in January 2003 Crowley's children received the enzyme replacement therapy for Pompe disease developed by Genzyme. Crowley credits the experimental trial with saving his children's lives. The acquisition of Novazyme by Genzyme, and Crowley's fight to cure Pompe's Disease, was documented in the Harvard Business School Case Study, Novazyme: A Father's Love."Journey of the Heart"
PharmaVoice.com, January 2009. Accessed April 8, 2009.
According to Higgins, by 2004 Henri Termeer's leadership at Genzyme was considered exemplary by several biotech industry observers, and Genzyme was seen as a role model for other biotechnology firms. According to ''The Wall Street Journal'', in 2004 Termeer earned a combined salary and bonus of $3 million. He also had "options valued at between $12.6 million and $32 million in 10 years, based on appreciation of the company's stock of between 5% and 10% a year, according to the company's proxy." In 2007 Genzyme acquired Bioenvision and the rights to the
North American North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the sou ...
market for
clofarabine Clofarabine is a purine nucleoside antimetabolite marketed in the United States and Canada as Clolar. In Europe and Australia/New Zealand the product is marketed under the name Evoltra. It is FDA-approved for treating relapsed or refractory a ...
(brand name Clofarex), designated by the
Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...
(FDA) as an
orphan drug An orphan drug is a medication, pharmaceutical agent that is developed to treat certain rare medical conditions. An orphan drug would not be profitable to produce without government assistance, due to the small population of patients affected by th ...
In 2007 Termeer as CEO earned a salary of $2.5 million, and non-cash compensation worth $129 million. From 2007 to 2008 under Termeer as CEO, Genzyme spent $2.8 million on lobbying. In 2009 alone, Genzyme had 10 different organizations with a total of 49 lobbyists working on its behalf. In 1981, before Termeer had joined Genzyme, it was a small firm that employed 14 people in an office in Chinatown. By 2006 Genzyme with Termeer as CEO had more than 8,000 staff in 70 offices and plants worldwide, making it the third-largest company of its kind. In 2004 Termeer was the area's highest-paid CEO, with a total compensation package worth at least $37.9 million. He was 42nd in the 2006 list of Boston's wealthiest with a net worth of $342 million. In June 2009, Genzyme experienced a manufacturing disaster after contamination with
Vesivirus ''Vesivirus'' is a genus of viruses, in the family ''Caliciviridae''. Swine, sea mammals, and felines serve as natural hosts. There are two species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include: respiratory disease, Feline calicivir ...
2117 at their Allston, Massachusetts plant that resulted in shortages of Genzyme drugs including Cerezyme. Genzyme's corporate behavior was described as irresponsible and arrogant. The company was fined $175 million by the FDA for manufacturing deficiencies. Genzyme's stocks fell and their competitors benefited. As a result, in 2011 Genzyme was acquired by
Sanofi Sanofi S.A. is a French Multinational corporation, multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company headquartered in Paris, France. The corporation was established in 1973 and merged with Synthélabo in 1999 to form Sanofi-Synthélabo. In 200 ...
for more than $20 billion in a hostile takeover in October 2011, engineered in part by Sanofi CEO Christopher Viehbacher. Afterwards, Termeer retired. When Termeer left Genzyme his payout was valued at about $138 million. In 1993, Termeer helped establish the
Biotechnology Industry Organization The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the largest advocacy association in the world representing the biotechnology industry. It was founded in 1993 as the Biotechnology Industry Organization from a merger of the Industrial Biotechno ...
(BIO), and joined the
board of directors A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...
. The BIO was formed through the merger of the Association of Biotechnology Companies (ABC), an association of smaller start-ups and their business support network, and the Industrial Biotechnology Association (IBA), an organization for the larger biotech firms. Following the
election An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative d ...
of President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
in 1992, Termeer was concerned about potential health-care and FDA reform and wanted the biotechnology industry to speak with one voice. By engaging and including patient groups, religious groups, etc. the BIO successfully lobbied in favour of the
Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 The United States Food and Drug Administration Modernization Acts (FDAMA) are amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which regulated products by the FDA. The first bill, the FDA Modernization Act of 1997, reduced the timeline ...
which provided criteria for "fast-track drug development, allowed some drug approvals based on one pivotal trial, provided easier patient access to experimental drugs and devices, and renewed the Prescription Drug User Fee program". In 2002 Termeer was involved in the establishment of the New England Healthcare Institute ( NEHI), a "nonprofit, applied research health policy organization" composed of senior healthcare experts and executives. NEHI members include biotech and pharmaceutical companies, academic health centers, hospitals, medical device companies, employers, payers, patient groups, and others. Termeer was a Chairman Emeritus of the New England Healthcare Institute. In 2008 Governor
Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick (born July 31, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was the first African Americans, African-American Governor of Massachusetts and the first Democratic Pa ...
appointed Termeer to the Massachusetts Council of Economic Advisors.


Later career

By 2012 Termeer was chairman of cancer drug specialists Aveo Oncology ($AVEO). In 2012 he began working as a strategic advisor for Prosensa, a venture-backed biotech also focused on rare inherited diseases like his former company
Genzyme Genzyme (also known as Genzyme Transgenics Corp or GTC Biotherapeutics) was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. From its acquisition in 2011 to 2022 Genzyme operated as a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi. In 2010, ...
comprised a mission of, whose lead program, an RNA therapy, called 051, for an orphan disease known as
Duchenne muscular dystrophy Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe type of muscular dystrophy predominantly affecting boys. The onset of muscle weakness typically begins around age four, with rapid progression. Initially, muscle loss occurs in the thighs and pe ...
(DMD), is being developed by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). In 2013, Termeer met Daniel de Boer, CEO of Dutch biotech startup ProQR Therapeutics of Leiden, which had licensed a compound from Boston scientists to develop a treatment for
cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive manner that impairs the normal clearance of Sputum, mucus from the lungs, which facilitates the colonization and infection of the lungs by bacteria, notably ''Staphy ...
(CF) focusing on the role of
messenger RNA In molecular biology, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene, and is read by a ribosome in the process of synthesizing a protein. mRNA is created during the ...
(mRNA). Termeer joined a group of executives providing financial backing for ProQR, which has subsequently pivoted to inherited
retinal Retinal (also known as retinaldehyde) is a polyene chromophore. Retinal, bound to proteins called opsins, is the chemical basis of visual phototransduction, the light-detection stage of visual perception (vision). Some microorganisms use ret ...
diseases including Leber congenital amaurosis, Usher syndrome and
retinitis pigmentosa Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a member of a group of genetic disorders called inherited retinal dystrophy (IRD) that cause loss of vision. Symptoms include trouble seeing at night and decreasing peripheral vision (side and upper or lower visua ...
. ProQR laid out its proposed terms for a $75 million IPO. During April 2013, Termeer joined the board of directors of Moderna Therapeutics, a Cambridge-based biotech company that was developing a platform technology for delivery of
mRNA In molecular biology, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene, and is read by a ribosome in the process of Protein biosynthesis, synthesizing a protein. mRNA is ...
. In 2013, Termeer provided financial backing for Lysosomal Therapeutics, a biotech firm in Boston developing a treatment for
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
and other
neurodegenerative disease A neurodegenerative disease is caused by the progressive loss of neurons, in the process known as neurodegeneration. Neuronal damage may also ultimately result in their death. Neurodegenerative diseases include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, mul ...
s. According to
Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to: People * Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer * Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian * Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician a ...
, Termeer was the founder of the company, and he also provided mentoring to CEO Dimitri Krainc, a
Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
n
neurologist Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the ...
at
Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is a teaching hospital located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the original and largest clinical education and research facility of Harvard Medical School/Harvar ...
, who said that he and Termeer were "in contact by e-mail, phone, or in person weekly". In September 2013, China's CANbridge, which commercializes Western clinical stage pharmaceutical products in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, appointed Termeer as Chief Advisor of their Life Sciences Advisory Board.


Mentorship

After retirement, Termeer continued to mentor former Genzyme colleagues who are now CEOs of about two dozen smaller companies, including Geoff McDonough, CEO of Generation Bio; Gail Maderis, who runs biotechnology firms and an industry trade group in the
San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay (Chochenyo language, Chochenyo: 'ommu) is a large tidal estuary in the United States, U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the cities of San Francisco, California, San ...
area; Tom Mathers, CEO at CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Jeff Albers, who heads a Cambridge-based startup, Blueprint Medicines Corporation; and Greg Madison, CEO of New York's Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc.


Awards

* 1990–1992 The Wall Street Transcript Gold Award * 1995 Success Magazine 'Renegade of the Year' * 1999 Golden Door award from the International Institute of New England, an award that symbolizes the positive influence that immigrants have had on America. * 2003 Cor Vitae Award from the
American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate Heart, cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability ...
* In 2005 Genzyme received the
National Medal of Technology and Innovation The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (formerly the National Medal of Technology) is an honor granted by the president of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development ...
, the highest honor awarded by the President of the United States for technological innovation. Termeer accepted the award on behalf of Genzyme "For pioneering dramatic improvements in the health of thousands of patients with rare diseases and harnessing the promise of biotechnology to develop innovative new therapies." * 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award * 2008 Biotechnology Heritage Award, from the
Biotechnology Industry Organization The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the largest advocacy association in the world representing the biotechnology industry. It was founded in 1993 as the Biotechnology Industry Organization from a merger of the Industrial Biotechno ...
(BIO) and the
Chemical Heritage Foundation The Science History Institute is an institution that preserves and promotes understanding of the history of science. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it includes a library, museum, archive, research center and conference center. It was ...


Global Genes RARE Project Champions of Hope

In 2012 Termeer received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Nicole Boice, founder and CEO, Global Genes R.A.R.E Project. He was honoured for helping "to establish Massachusetts as a major center of industrial biotech research and development," for "spearheading the development of rare disease treatments at a time when other pharmaceutical companies were focusing on drugs for much larger patient populations."


Academic

* 1999 Fellow of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...
* 1999 Genetic Disease Foundation Humanitarian Award * 2005 Honorary Fellowship at the British
Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...


Philanthropy


Massachusetts General Hospital

Termeer made a $10 million donation to fund research at the Henri and Belinda Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies at the
Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is a teaching hospital located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the original and largest clinical education and research facility of Harvard Medical School/Harvar ...
Cancer Center where patients with early and advanced stage cancers enroll in "its fast-growing portfolio of Phase I, Phase II and Phase III clinical trials." Termeer was on the board of directors of the MGH and had served on numerous committees with Peter Slavin, Hospital director.Talks by MGH President Dr. Peter Slavin, Mass General Cancer Center Director Dr. Daniel Haber, Termeer Center Director Dr. Keith Flaherty, patient John Murphy and donor Henri Termeer In 2011 Termeer, Cathy Minehan and Chad Gifford— fellow Partners HealthCare Board Members— co-chaired the Massachusetts General Hospital bicentennial. The gala, with 1,000 in attendance, also served as a fundraiser, raising approximately $1 million.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Termeer, Henri 1946 births 2017 deaths University of Virginia Darden School of Business alumni American chief executives Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences People from Tilburg Dutch emigrants to the United States Erasmus University Rotterdam alumni