Catherine Lee
Director
With over 25+ years of legal and business experience, Ms. Lee is a strategic thought partner to executive teams, supporting both private and public emerging growth organizations.
Ms. Lee currently advises Neogene Therapeutics, Inc., a private cell therapy company that was acquired by AstraZeneca in January 2023, on a variety of legal matters. From February 2022 to September 2023, she served as Neogene’s General Counsel, where she helped lead Neogene’s acquisition by AstraZeneca for up to $320MM. Prior to Neogene, Cathy served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Metacrine, Inc, where she effected the $85MM initial public offering of the company and built the legal, corporate governance and compliance infrastructure to support its transition from a private to publicly traded company. Prior to Metacrine, Cathy served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel of Omniome where she negotiated and completed a $60MM Series C financing and prepared the company for commercial launch, advised on IP strategy and potential litigation considerations, secured licenses, manufacturing and supply arrangements and supported a 50% growth of the company’s work force. Prior to Omniome, Cathy served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary with Senomyx, Inc., where she successfully led the company and its board through a proxy contest, and eventually helped lead the company’s acquisition by Firmenich.
Cathy began her career at Morrison & Foerster, LLP and Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison before transitioning into her in-house counsel roles. She received her J.D. from the University of Illinois, College of Law and her B.A. in International Relations and Economics, magna cum laude, from the American University, School of International Service