August saw a flurry of board appointments across biotech, diagnostics and digital health firms, as companies recruited seasoned executives and scientific leaders to steer upcoming growth phases.
Biotech firms bolster governance teams
Mirai Bio appointed Jeff Luber as Board Chair. A four-time CEO, Luber has helped build a number of life-sciences companies, including Exact Sciences, Good Start Genetics, binx health, and Clairity.
Biocaptiva, a spin-out from the University of Edinburgh, selected Stephane Argivier as Chair. Argivier previously served as CEO of MIP Discovery, where he secured significant funding and repositioned the business towards higher-value markets. He later spent four years as a non-executive director of Logical Biological before taking the chair role at Biocaptiva.
Boston-based Brixton Bio expanded its board with three notable figures. Former Alnylam CEO John Maraganore joins, having guided Alnylam from early RNAi research to the launch of five approved medicines.
The roster also includes Brent Saunders, currently chief executive of Bausch + Lomb, and former NBA star Elton Brand, who most recently acted as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Swedish accelerator SmiLe Venture Hub added three members to its advisory panel. Åsa Sjöholm Timén comes from AstraZeneca’s business-development unit, Lisa Thelin leads foresight at the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, and professor Jonas Larsson of Lund University provides academic insight.
Health-tech companies recruit seasoned leaders
Digital-health firm Reset Health appointed Dr Joanne Hackett to its board. Hackett is vice president and global head of health-system services at IQVIA and previously served as chief commercial officer at Genomics England.
Surgical-therapeutics company Peptilogics added Tim Czartoski to its director panel. Czartoski most recently led US Surgical at Enovis and spent over two decades at DePuy Synthes, overseeing a $5.4 billion orthopaedics business.
Read Also: FDA Approves First Gene Therapy for Sanfilippo Syndrome Type A
Norwegian biotech Circio appointed two veterans to its board. Dr Dinah Sah co-founded Voyager Therapeutics and led AAV gene-therapy programs, while Dr Robert Burns previously served as CEO of Affitech, Celldex and 4-Antibody.
Clinical-stage biotech and diagnostics firms expand boards
UK-based Redx Pharma added two directors with strong fibrosis expertise. Andrew Sinclair joined as investor director representing Abingworth, bringing capital-raising experience to the company’s pipeline.
Dr Bernard Coulie, current chief executive of Pliant Therapeutics, also entered Redx’s board. His background as a gastroenterologist and leader in anti-fibrotic drug development adds clinical depth.
Pharmacogenetic testing company genedrive strengthened its board with two appointments spanning finance and healthcare technology. Mark Winkler, founder and chief executive of Red Earth Advisors, now serves on the board, offering strategic investment insight.
Mike Fairbourn completed genedrive’s new appointments. After nearly two decades at Becton Dickinson, including a senior role for the UK and Ireland, he contributes extensive medical-device commercial knowledge.
AI-driven and precision-medicine companies strengthen advisory panels
AI-powered biotech Ignota Labs expanded the leadership of its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr Melanie Lee was appointed chair of the Scientific Advisory Board; she currently serves as a non-executive director and chair of the R&D committee at Portuguese pharmaceutical company Bial. Joining the board alongside her was Dr Peter Newham, a drug-safety scientist with more than 30 years of pharmaceutical R&D experience at AstraZeneca. Ignota also recruited Dr Angeliki Kotsianti, who spent two decades at Pfizer in senior medical and safety leadership roles focused on clinical development and benefit-risk assessment.
Vienna-based OncoOne, which is developing precision medicines for cancer and autoimmune diseases, assembled a trio of experts for its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr Danielle Meyrick brings more than 20 years of experience in radiopharmaceutical development, clinical strategy, and translational medicine, gained through roles at organisations including ITM, Telix, and AdvanCell. Dr Hakim Bouterfa, a life-sciences entrepreneur and executive, adds 25 years of international experience across oncology, radiopharmaceuticals, clinical development, and medical affairs, including with Novartis. Dr
