Meek, who had led the Paris-based firm since 2016, will also step down from Ipsen's board at the end of this year, the company said.

Ipsen has appointed Chief Financial Officer Aymeric Le Chatelier as interim CEO.

Separately, FerGene, a joint venture between Blackstone Life Sciences and Ferring Pharmaceuticals, said Meek will join as CEO effective Jan. 14, 2020. Blackstone said last month it would invest $400 million in the gene therapy venture with Ferring.

(Reporting by Anurag Maan in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)