Foghorn Therapeutics Strengthens Financial Leadership with Appointment of Ryan Maynard as Chief Financial Officer
Rhea-AI Summary
Foghorn Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FHTX) appointed Ryan Maynard as Chief Financial Officer effective February 23, 2026. Mr. Maynard brings over 25 years of biopharma financial leadership, has raised over $1 billion, and led financings and commercial launch planning for approved therapies.
The company noted Maynard’s prior roles at Cara Therapeutics, Rigel Pharmaceuticals, LetsGetChecked, and Blade Therapeutics, his recent transactional work including a $37.5M non-dilutive royalty arrangement, and his board seat at Iovance.
Positive
- Experienced CFO hire with over 25 years in biopharma finance
- Capital markets track record: raised over $1 billion
- Transaction experience: led $37.5M non-dilutive royalty deal
- Commercial launch experience including FDA approval planning for TAVALISSE
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
FHTX slipped 1.72% while momentum peers showed mixed moves: one up and three down (e.g., CAPR -5.33%, MREO -3.26%). This points to broader biotech volatility rather than a company-specific move tied to the CFO news.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 03 | Conference participation | Neutral | -2.7% | Management participation at Guggenheim Emerging Outlook: Biotech Summit. |
| Jan 13 | Premium financing | Positive | +4.7% | $50M registered direct at 30% premium with warrants issued. |
| Jan 09 | Financing & pipeline | Positive | +23.6% | $50M equity financing, runway into 1H 2028, degrader program progress. |
| Nov 25 | Conference participation | Neutral | +3.5% | Participation in Evercore Healthcare Conference with CEO fireside chat. |
| Nov 05 | Quarterly update | Positive | +13.3% | Q3 2025 update highlighting strong cash and multi-program progress. |
Recent history shows positive price reactions to financings and corporate updates, including multiple double-digit gains following strategic and financial disclosures.
Over the past several months, Foghorn has emphasized financing strength and pipeline progress. A $50 million registered direct financing at a 30% premium and a January update highlighting cash runway into 2028 both saw notable positive reactions. Conference participation in November 2025 and February 2026 had more modest effects. The Q3 2025 financial update, with multiple degrader programs advancing, also coincided with a double‑digit gain, underscoring investor focus on capital and clinical execution.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement marks a significant addition to Foghorn’s leadership, bringing over 25 years of executive experience and a track record of raising over $1 billion in capital and closing a $37.5 million non-dilutive royalty deal. Recent history features a premium $50 million financing and strong cash runway, so investors may watch how the new CFO supports capital allocation, partnership execution, and advancement of the Lilly-partnered lead program and selective degrader portfolio.
Key Terms
capital markets financial
reverse merger financial
non-dilutive royalty deal financial
food and drug administration regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
WATERTOWN, Mass., Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Foghorn® Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: FHTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new class of medicines that treat serious diseases by correcting abnormal gene expression, today announced that Ryan Maynard will join the company as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on February 23, 2026. Mr. Maynard joins Foghorn with over 25 years of executive experience driving financial strategy, capital markets execution, and operational performance across public and private biopharmaceutical companies.
“I am delighted to welcome Ryan to Foghorn as our new CFO as we continue to advance our first-in-class pipeline," said Adrian Gottschalk, President and Chief Executive Officer of Foghorn. “Ryan is a seasoned biotech executive who brings proven financial and operational leadership. His experience scaling organizations will accelerate our mission to deliver novel therapies to patients.”
Prior to joining Foghorn, Mr. Maynard was most recently at Cara Therapeutics, Inc., where he successfully led financial strategy and strategic transactions as the Chief Financial Officer.
Ryan Maynard, Chief Financial Officer of Foghorn, added, “I am excited to join Foghorn at this pivotal time as the Company’s lead program advances in dose escalation in partnership with Lilly, and our selective degrader portfolio nears the clinic. I look forward to partnering with the executive team and Board to provide disciplined financial leadership, drive execution, and support long-term growth and value creation.”
Mr. Maynard has over 25 years of executive experience leading both public and private biopharmaceutical and healthcare technology organizations. He has raised over
About Foghorn Therapeutics
Foghorn® Therapeutics is discovering and developing a novel class of medicines targeting genetically determined dependencies within the chromatin regulatory system. Through its proprietary scalable Gene Traffic Control® platform, Foghorn is systematically studying, identifying, and validating potential drug targets within the chromatin regulatory system. The Company is developing multiple product candidates in oncology. Visit our website at www.foghorntx.com for more information on the Company, and follow us on X and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company’s ongoing Phase 1 trial of FHD-909 in SMARCA4-mutated cancers, pre-clinical product candidates, expected timing of clinical data, expected cash runway, expected timing of regulatory filings, and research efforts and other statements identified by words such as “could,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “continues,” “projects” and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding capital market conditions, our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, by their nature, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions, including risks relating to our clinical trials and other factors set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made.
Contact:
Karin Hellsvik, Foghorn Therapeutics Inc.
khellsvik@foghorntx.com