BOTHELL — Clay Siegall, the former CEO of Seagen who resigned last year over allegations of domestic abuse, will return to the area as chief executive of Immunome, a Pennsylvania-based biotech company that’s moving its headquarters to Bothell.
In April 2022, Siegall was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence after his now-former wife called police. She reported Siegall had physically assaulted and injured her, resulting in bruises, a cut and a sprained wrist.
Siegall denied the allegations but resigned his post at Seagen, the Bothell biotech he co-founded in 1997.
The Edmonds city prosecutor declined to bring charges, citing inconsistent and contradictory statements about what happened.
In March of this year, Siegall joined Morphimmune, a privately-owned Indiana biotech, as president and CEO. Morphimmune recently merged with Immunome, a Philadelphia-area company developing targeted cancer therapies.
As part of the deal, Siegall was named CEO, president and board chairman of the combined company, operating as Immunome. The public company trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol, IMNM.
“Clay Siegall’s track record of drug development and shareholder value creation is exceptional, and we are honored to have him serve as chairman and CEO after the merger closes,” Michael Rapp, Immunome board chairman, said in a statement in June announcing the merger.
The merger was completed in October.
“Under his nearly 25 years of leadership, Seagen became the world leader in ADC (targeted cancer) therapeutics, earned Federal Drug Administration approvals for four cancer therapies, and grew to over $2 billion in annual revenue,” Immunome said of Siegall.
The terms of merger also includes a move to the Seattle area.
Immunome is moving its headquarters from Philadelphia to Alloy Innovation Center in Bothell, according to The Registry, a commercial real estate news outlet. The company will maintain research facilities in Pennsylvania and Indiana.
In a statement, Siegall described the merger as “the first step in establishing a preeminent oncology company,” and added, “Given the quality of our science, the expertise of our combined leadership team, and the strengthened cash position, I am extremely enthusiastic about our potential to reduce the suffering and loss of life caused by cancer,” he said.
As head of Seagen, Siegall was one of the highest paid chief executives in the state.
Siegall made $19 million in salary and compensation in 2021, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Meanwhile, Seagen had revenue of $1.6 billion. Its therapies are used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma and bladder, breast and cervical cancers. Pfizer finalized the acquisition of Seagen this month for $43 billion.
In 2018, Economic Alliance Snohomish County presented Siegall with the John M. Fluke award, given to an “individual who has demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit, and community leadership.” Established in 1970, the award is named after the founder of the Fluke Corp.
Siegall was a pre-med college student planning to become a doctor when his father was diagnosed with cancer, according to a 2018 report in The Daily Herald.
“When you’re 19 years old and your father is diagnosed with a cancer that would ultimately take his life, there’s a lot of changes going on at that point,” he said. “I got really interested in how cancer therapies are made.”
He founded Seattle Genetics in 1997. In 2020, the company changed its name to Seagen.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
