News from Cytos, Ablynx and Baxter – People on the move
Jakob Schlapbach is set to resign as a non-executive board member for Cytos Biotechnology.
Formerly the firm’s executive VP and CFO, Schlapbach did not give his reason for leaving.
Current chair Thomas Hecht said: “Jakob has been involved with Cytos for more than 12 years whereby he played a central role in several financing rounds and in the IPO. We are very appreciative of the many contributions he has made during that period. We wish him well in his future endeavours.”
TiGenix has appointed Jean Stéphenne as independent director and new chairman of the board of directors.
He joins after serving as chairman and president of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.
Russell Greig will also become independent director, replacing Koenraad Debackere and Mounia Chaoui-Roulleau who both recently resigned from the board.
Willy Duron, former chairman and now also an independent board member said: "Their long and broad experience with all aspects of drug development and building innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will be of immense value as TiGenix enters into a pivotal phase of its growth with the commercial roll-out of ChondroCelect and the advanced clinical development of its cell therapy programs.”
A busy week for Greig¸ who also takes the role of independent non-executive director at Ablynx.
Former executive VP of research and development at Amgen Roger Perlmutter joins Ablynx in the same role.
Edwin Moses, chairman and CEO, said: “We see these appointments as a very important step in the recognition of Ablynx's unique Nanobody platform and in the continuing evolution of Ablynx into a significant player in the international biopharmaceutical industry."
Baxter has drafted in two new board members in Uma Chowdhry and Thomas Chen.
Chowdhry most recently served as senior VP and CTO at E.I. du Pont de Nemours. She retired in 2010.
Chen joins the firm from Abbott where he was senior VP of international nutrition.
"The appointments of Uma and Thomas deepen the strength of the Baxter board of directors and align with our history of scientific and product innovation, and our international presence as a company," said Robert Parkinson, Baxter's chairman and CEO.
Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals has named two new independent directors in Scott Canute and Gino Santini.
John Taylor, co-founder and chairman of the board said: “They deeply understand Inspiration’s mission to broaden treatment choices, expand global access to care and advance innovative therapies for the hemophilia community.
“Each brings a unique set of experiences that will be instrumental to Inspiration as we continue to develop as an independent company and work to create new products to help people with hemophilia.”
