Susan Altschuller→ Bill Haney’s Dragonfly Therapeutics has brought aboard Susan Altschuller as CFO. Altschuller’s résumé includes other finance chief roles at Cerevel Therapeutics and ImmunoGen, which were both recently acquired by AbbVie. Earlier in her career, Altshuller was with Alexion as head of enterprise finance and also served as head of investor relations at Biogen’s hemophilia spinoff Bioverativ.
→ AstraZeneca’s gene therapy partner Cellectis has picked up Adrian Kilcoyne as chief medical officer. Kilcoyne boasts of other medical chief roles at Celularity and Humanigen. Most recently, Kilcoyne spent two years with AstraZeneca and five at Celgene. Earlier in his career, Kilcoyne was with Roche and Eli Lilly.
→ It’s been a rough ride for Hepion Pharmaceuticals. Back in April it winded down its Phase 2b NASH trial, causing a 32% stock drop, and now the company’s SEC filing reveals that its interim CEO and CFO John Cavan is jumping ship. Cavan joined Hepion in January 2016, having previously served as chief accounting officer of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals. Chairman John Brancaccio is now taking the reins as both CEO and CFO on an interim basis.
→ Earlier this week, 4DMT rolled out the welcome mat for a trio of execs: Dhaval Desai as chief development officer; Christopher Simms as CCO; and Carlos Quezada-Ruiz as SVP, therapeutic area head, ophthalmology. Desai and Simms both join the California-based team from Iveric Bio, where they served as development chief and CCO, respectively. Meanwhile, Quezada-Ruiz was group medical director, ophthalmology at Genentech. The trio came aboard right before 4DMT announced Friday that the FDA had lifted its hold on the company’s Fabry gene therapy.
→ Clinical-stage company 89bio has made two appointment announcements this week. The most recent brought news of Francis Sarena joining as COO. Not his first run as COO, Sarena served in the same role at Apexigen. Prior to that, Sarena was chief strategy officer at Five Prime Therapeutics, culminating in its acquisition by Amgen in 2021.
Charles McWherterEarlier in the week, 89bio pulled out a board seat for CymaBay Therapeutics CSO and president of R&D Charles McWherter. Prior to his stint at CymaBay, McWherter spent four years at Pfizer, culminating in his role as VP and head of cardiovascular therapeutics, and Sugen. McWherter joins 89bio after the company dropped $135 million to build a manufacturing facility in China for its MASH drug in April.
→ RNA company Avidity Biosciences has enlisted John Moriarty as chief legal officer and corporate secretary as successor to John Wallen. Far from his first rodeo as chief legal officer, Moriarty brings with him earlier experience in the role from Mirati Therapeutics, Olema Oncology, and Elan. Moriarty has also served as general counsel for Portola Pharmaceuticals and Alexion. Moriarty’s appointment comes after Avidity announced back in June that its rare muscle disease drug showed signs of efficacy in an early-stage test in patients.
Shannon Kelley→ Right before announcing $14.6 million in first full quarter sales of MASH drug Rezdiffra this week, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals appointed Shannon Kelley as general counsel. According to the company, Kelley hopped aboard earlier this year as chief compliance officer. She was chief compliance officer for Sanofi’s North America and global specialty care — which Madrigal CEO Bill Sibold previously led. Before that, Kelley was with Boston Scientific as global compliance and commercial legal counsel.
Marcel Konrad→ Octave Bioscience, which helps multiple sclerosis patients navigate their care, has added Marcel Konrad as CFO. Konrad joins the team after a three-year stint as finance chief of Medexus Pharmaceuticals. Konrad previously spent eight years at Novartis, culminating in his role as head of finance. Octave boasts of ex-Biogen CEO George Scangos and Section 32’s Michael Pellini on its board.
→ Flagship startup Quotient Therapeutics has named its academic co-founder Peter Campbell as CSO. Campbell has served as head of cancer, aging and somatic mutation at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, where he focused on genetic changes in cells.
Raj Panjabi→ Flagship Pioneering has recruited Raj Panjabi, President Biden’s former pandemic and health official at the National Security Council, as senior partner. Panjabi currently sits on the boards of the WHO Foundation and the Skoll Foundation, among others.
→ Last month, Revolution Medicines shared promising early-stage data for its RAS inhibitor in a pancreatic cancer trial. Now, the company has picked up Frank Clyburn for its board of directors. Clyburn led Merck’s Keytruda development as SVP of human health. Clyburn’s previous experience includes roles as CEO of International Flavors & Fragrances and VP of the oncology and internal medicine business units at Sanofi Aventis.
Jan van de Winkel→ At the end of July, Genmab CEO Jan van de Winkel stepped down from his board position at privately held Danish biopharma Leo Pharma — having served in the role since March 2017— “due to increasing time commitments.” Van de Winkel still serves as chairman of Hookipa Pharma.
→ Repare Therapeutics, which back in February lost its partner Roche for its solid tumor deal, disclosed in an SEC filing that one of its board members has hit the exit. Briggs Morrison resigned from his position after seven years, leaving Steven Stein as his successor. Morrison is the CEO of Crossbow Therapeutics and former CMO of AstraZeneca.
→ After releasing topline results from a Phase 2 gastric cancer trial at the end of last month, ALX Oncology has now brought on former Mirati CMO Alan Sandler to its board of directors. Sandler brings with him expertise from his time at Zai Lab (president, global head of development and oncology) and Genentech. Along with Sandler’s appointment, ALX announced the resignation of two other board members: ALX president and CSO Jaume Pons and CMO Sophia Randolph, who will both keep their respective exec roles.
→ Logix Biosciences has welcomed Amy Broidrick to its board of directors. Broidrick previously served as SVP and head of corporate development at Viking Therapeutics, president of Qualigen, and held roles at EMD Serono, Arena Pharmaceuticals and Merck.
→ San Diego-based Gyre Therapeutics has appointed David M. Epstein to its board of directors. Epstein is president and CEO of PairX Bio and was president and CEO of Black Diamond Therapeutics and CSO of OSI Pharmaceuticals.
→ Legend Biotech, whose CAR-T therapy Carvykti was recently shown to improve survival in earlier-line multiple myeloma, has tapped Peter Salovey for its board of directors. Salovey is the 23rd president of Yale University and is a Chris Argyris professor of psychology.