Ocugen Appoints Rita Johnson-Greene to Chief Financial Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Ocugen (NASDAQ: OCGN) appointed Rita Johnson-Greene as Chief Financial Officer effective February 9, 2026. The company said she joins as Ocugen advances its gene‑therapy programs, including the planned submission of the first of three Biologics License Applications (BLAs) this year. Ms. Johnson‑Greene brings 20+ years in healthcare finance, operations and commercial roles at ARM, Genetix Biotherapeutics, Spark Therapeutics and AstraZeneca, and holds an MBA from Wharton and an engineering degree from Drexel University.

Positive

• Appointed CFO with 20+ years healthcare finance and operations experience
• New CFO led operations and finance at Alliance for Regenerative Medicine
• Built and scaled U.S. pre‑commercial sales and QTC teams for gene therapies
• CFO hire coincides with planned submission of first of three BLAs this year

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

Healthcare experience: More than 20 years Planned BLAs: 3 BLAs

2 metrics

Healthcare experience More than 20 years Rita Johnson-Greene’s tenure in healthcare roles

Planned BLAs 3 BLAs Company expects submission of first of three BLAs this year

Market Reality Check

Price: $1.38 Vol: Volume 3,722,612 vs 20-da...

low vol

$1.38 Last Close

Volume Volume 3,722,612 vs 20-day average 6,310,695 (relative volume 0.59x) ahead of the CFO news. low

Technical Price $1.33 is trading above the 200-day MA $1.21, after a sizeable rebound from the 52-week low.

Peers on Argus

Key biotech peers such as FDMT, MBX, BNTC, DSGN, and LRMR showed single‑digit ga...

Key biotech peers such as FDMT, MBX, BNTC, DSGN, and LRMR showed single‑digit gains (up to 7.67%), but no peers appeared in the real‑time momentum scanner, suggesting today’s CFO appointment impact for OCGN is more company‑specific than part of a broad sector rotation.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 23 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 23	Equity offering close	Negative	+0.6%	Closing of $22.5M underwritten registered direct offering and runway extension.
Jan 21	Equity offering pricing	Negative	-10.8%	Pricing of 15M common shares at $1.50 in underwritten offering.
Jan 15	Clinical data update	Positive	-13.8%	Positive Phase 2 OCU410 data for geographic atrophy with multiple efficacy signals.
Jan 13	Webcast announcement	Neutral	+7.3%	Announcement of webcast to discuss OCU410 Phase 2 clinical trial data.
Jan 12	Clinical data publication	Positive	+18.7%	Publication of positive Phase 1 GARDian1 OCU410ST gene therapy results.

Pattern Detected

Recent history shows mixed reactions: offerings often pressured shares, while some positive clinical updates saw both strong gains and sharp declines, indicating inconsistent alignment between news quality and price moves.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, Ocugen reported several key developments. Financing events in January 2026 raised about $22.5 million via underwritten offerings, extending cash runway but adding dilution. Multiple clinical updates for OCU410 and OCU410ST in January 2026 highlighted encouraging efficacy and safety data in retinal diseases, with one data publication drawing a strong positive reaction and another seeing a negative move. The new CFO appointment follows this period of capital raising and late‑stage clinical progress, adding leadership depth on the financial side.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement adds an experienced CFO as Ocugen advances its gene therapy pipeline and prepares ...

Analysis

This announcement adds an experienced CFO as Ocugen advances its gene therapy pipeline and prepares for up to three BLAs this year. It follows recent equity offerings totaling $22.5 million and positive retinal disease data from OCU410 and OCU410ST. Filings have also noted ongoing losses and going‑concern risks, underscoring the importance of capital planning. Investors may watch how the new CFO manages financing strategy, spending, and execution around upcoming regulatory milestones.

Key Terms

gene therapies, cell and gene therapy

2 terms

gene therapies medical

"a pioneering biotechnology leader in gene therapies for blindness diseases"

Gene therapies are medical treatments that change or replace a person’s genetic instructions to fix or counteract a disease, using biological delivery methods to get the new material into cells — like repairing or swapping pages in a faulty instruction manual. They matter to investors because they can offer one-time or long-lasting cures with large market potential, but carry high development costs, regulatory scrutiny and manufacturing challenges that make outcomes binary and investment risky.

cell and gene therapy medical

"having been in the cell and gene therapy space for many years"

Therapies that use living cells or altered genes to treat or cure disease by repairing, replacing or reprogramming parts of the body; think of it as swapping or reprogramming malfunctioning hardware or software inside the body. Investors watch these treatments closely because they can command high prices and offer one-time or long-lasting benefits, but they also carry big development costs, complex manufacturing and regulatory risks that can cause large swings in a company’s value.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

MALVERN, Pa., Feb. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocugen, Inc. (Ocugen or the Company) (NASDAQ: OCGN), a pioneering biotechnology leader in gene therapies for blindness diseases, today announced the appointment of Rita Johnson-Greene as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

“Mrs. Johnson-Greene’s diverse background across a variety of strategic roles at organizations representing many facets of the industry make her well-suited to serve as Ocugen’s CFO,” said Dr. Shankar Musunuri, Chairman, CEO, and Co-founder of Ocugen. “We look forward to her leadership as we enter into a transformative time at Ocugen, beginning with the submission of the first of three Biologics License Applications (BLAs) this year.”

Mrs. Johnson-Greene has more than 20 years of healthcare experience. She most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) where she led ARM's operations, finance, and global expansion initiatives to advance the development of engineered cell therapies and genetic medicines and promote access for all patients. Prior to her role at ARM, she was the Vice President of Sales and Qualified Treatment Centers (QTC) at Genetix Biotherapeutics (formerly known as bluebird bio), where she built and scaled pre-commercial U.S. sales and QTC operations teams to support the launch of the ZYNTEGLO™ and SKYSONA™ gene therapy brands. Mrs. Johnson-Greene also held senior leadership positions at Spark Therapeutics and supported the launch of LUXTERNA®. Previously, she held roles in finance, commercial operations, and sales in both North and South America for AstraZeneca. Mrs. Johnson-Greene began her career in strategic consulting with Accenture’s strategy practice.

“I am excited to join Ocugen and believe in the potential of the Company’s novel modifier gene therapy platform to address unmet medical needs that still exist for major blindness diseases,” said Mrs. Johnson-Greene. “Having been in the cell and gene therapy space for many years, I understand the unique business needs required to operate efficiently and drive future success.”

Mrs. Johnson-Greene earned her MBA in Finance and Strategic Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and her undergraduate degree in Electrical Computer Engineering from Drexel University. She serves on the Drexel University Biomed Dean's Executive Advisory Council and is a guest lecturer for biomedical graduate students. 

About Ocugen, Inc.
Ocugen, Inc. is a pioneering biotechnology leader in gene therapies for blindness diseases. Our breakthrough modifier gene therapy platform has the potential to address significant unmet medical need for large patient populations through our gene-agnostic approach. Unlike traditional gene therapies and gene editing, Ocugen’s modifier gene therapies address the entire disease—complex diseases that are potentially caused by imbalances in multiple gene networks. Currently we have programs in development for inherited retinal diseases and blindness diseases affecting millions across the globe, including retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, and geographic atrophy—late stage dry age-related macular degeneration. Discover more at www.ocugen.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from our current expectations. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

Contact:
Tiffany Hamilton
AVP, Head of Communications
Tiffany.Hamilton@ocugen.com

FAQ

Who is the new CFO of Ocugen (OCGN) appointed on February 9, 2026?

Rita Johnson‑Greene was named Ocugen's CFO on February 9, 2026. According to the company, she brings over 20 years of healthcare experience across finance, operations, and commercial roles at ARM, Genetix Biotherapeutics, Spark Therapeutics and AstraZeneca.

What experience does Ocugen's new CFO Rita Johnson‑Greene bring to OCGN?

She brings over 20 years in healthcare finance and commercial operations. According to the company, her background includes leading ARM's operations and finance and scaling pre‑commercial gene‑therapy sales teams at Genetix Biotherapeutics.

How might the appointment of Rita Johnson‑Greene affect Ocugen's BLA timeline for OCGN?

The appointment aligns with Ocugen's near‑term regulatory activity. According to the company, she joins as it plans to submit the first of three BLAs this year, providing financial and operational leadership during filings.

What are Rita Johnson‑Greene's notable prior roles before joining Ocugen (OCGN)?

She served as COO at the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine and VP of Sales and QTC at Genetix Biotherapeutics. According to the company, she also held senior roles at Spark Therapeutics and commercial/finance roles at AstraZeneca.

What are Rita Johnson‑Greene's academic qualifications relevant to her CFO role at OCGN?

She earned an MBA in Finance and Strategic Management from Wharton and an undergraduate degree in Electrical Computer Engineering from Drexel. According to the company, she also serves on Drexel's Biomed Dean's Advisory Council and lectures to graduate students.