Aeterna Zentaris Appoints Giuliano La Fratta as Chief Financial Officer

– Well-established finance professional with over 20 years of experience gained in pharmaceutical, biopharma and professional services sectors

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Dec. 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS) (TSX: AEZS) (“Aeterna” or the “Company”), a specialty biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing a diversified portfolio of pharmaceutical and diagnostic products, today announced the appointment of Giuliano La Fratta as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Effective January 24^th, 2022, Mr. La Fratta will be responsible for the finance-related leadership functions, succeeding Ms. Leslie Auld, the Company’s current Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, who will continue to focus on her financial consulting practice.

Dr. Klaus Paulini, Chief Executive Officer of Aeterna commented, “We are very pleased to welcome Mr. La Fratta as our full-time Chief Financial Officer. Based on our current strategic focus, I believe his leadership and expertise will be a valuable asset to the Company as we build toward the future and execute on our strategy. At the same time, we sincerely thank Leslie for her unwavering dedication and invaluable service to our group, and we wish her every success in her future endeavors.”

Mr. La Fratta is a senior financial professional with over 20 years of professional experience in the pharmaceutical, biopharma and financial services sector. During his career, he has served in both the public and private sectors where he has gained significant experience in leading and managing broad financial activities, including M&A transactions, corporate development, auditing, accounting and administrative functions. Prior to joining Aeterna Zentaris, Mr. La Fratta served as the Vice President of Finance at CellCarta (formerly Caprion Biosciences), a private equity-owned specialty Clinical Research and Development Organization laboratory with global operations headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Prior to CellCarta, Mr. La Fratta served in various functions at IMS Canada Health (now Iqvia) and Cato Research. He began his career at Deloitte Touche as a Senior Auditor for both Canadian and American companies across various industries, including the pharmaceutical sector. Mr. La Fratta holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Concordia University and holds a CPA, CA designation.