BioPharma

Healthcare Hires of Note

Read about executive hires across healthcare and life science companies and organizations such as ProofPilot, Genentech, MassBio, Virgin Pulse, and more.

ProofPilot, a digital protocol automation platform for clinical trials, has added Bernadette Tosti to its executive leadership team in the role of chief product officer this week. Tosti has more than 15 years of experience in the digital clinical trial space, including executive positions at Quest Diagnostics, IQVIA, and Science 37.

Tosti will lead the product management, product design, and patient retention organizations in partnership with the leadership team.

To read more, click here.


Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio) Board of Directors has named Kendalle Burlin O’Connell as the organization’s new CEO and president. O’Connell has served MassBio’s membership for 14 years, most recently as president and COO.

“Leading MassBio and supporting the collective efforts of our members to reshape global health is the honor of a lifetime,” said Burlin O’Connell. “Our members have created the greatest life sciences ecosystem in the world. As their advocate and partner, our team at MassBio will ensure they have the tools and flexibility they need to identify the next life changing breakthrough for patients.”

To read more, click here.


Remix Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing small molecule therapies to modulate RNA processing and address the underlying drivers of disease, has appointed Dr. Christopher Bowden chief medical officer. 

Bowden previously worked for Agios, where he served as a strategic adviser and chief medical officer for eight years until 2022. As CMO, Bowden was responsible for clinical development of the oncology and rare genetic disease portfolios that led to U.S. approvals for the IDH inhibitors Idhifa and Tibsovo in AML, for Tibsovo in cholangiocarcinoma and for Pyrukynd, a Pyruvate Kinase activator, for adults with Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency. Prior to joining Agios, Bowden was vice president product development oncology, franchise lead (Signaling Group) at Genentech, which is part of the Roche Group.

“We look forward to leveraging his extensive clinical expertise as we advance programs from our REMaster platform toward the clinic,” said Peter Smith,  co-founder and CEO of Remix.

To read more click here.


Genentech has boltsered its marketing arsenal with two new hires.

Erica Taylor will serve as the company’s first chief marketing officer.
Ozgun (Oz) Demir has been hired as Genentech’s first head of digital marketing.

Ashley Magargee, senior vice president and head of commercial portfolio, said: “Erica and Oz will transform our digital marketing capabilities at Genentech to provide an easier, faster and more seamless experience for customers and patients to access information about our products.”

To read more, click here.


Blueprint Medicines has appointed Dr. John Tsai to its board of directors. Tsai served as chief medical officer at Novartis AG from 2018 to 2022. He has more than 20 years of drug development and medical affairs experience in global pharmaceutical companies.

“John’s broad and deep experience in managing large pipelines and diverse portfolios for global pharmaceutical companies will make him a valuable Board member as we progress multiple best-in-class clinical development programs in broad, established therapeutic areas,” said Kate Haviland, Blueprint Medicines CEO.

To read more, click here.


AbsoluteCare, a concierge, primary care physician-driven care model has named former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to its board of directors.

As HHS Secretary, Azar oversaw 85,000 employees, promoted transparency in healthcare goods and services and expanded telehealth and rural healthcare access for many Americans. Operation Warp Speed accelerated the creation and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

To read more, click here.


Annovis Bio, a clinical-stage drug platform company focused on neurodegenerative diseases, has supplemented its senior leadership team with two new hires. Dr. Michael Christie will serve as vice president of process chemistry and David Prohaska as vice president of toxicology and pharmacology.

Christie previously worked as the senior director of chemical process and R&D for Teva Pharmaceuticals, where he directed large teams and managed four laboratories while coordinating numerous projects and directing the functions of chemical development, pilot plant, and production laboratory. Prior to Teva, he worked at Cephalon.

Prohaska previously worked at Aravive Biologics where he served as the director of preclinical development and clinical operations support. He also worked at Furiex.

To read more, click here.


Curve Health, developer of the leading telehealth and analytics care platform for seniors, today announced the appointment of Matthew Michela as CEO. Michela has been a leader in healthcare for nearly four decades, having worked across multiple sectors comprising healthcare innovation, delivery, financing, and patient care.

Michela previously served as president, CEO, and director of Life Image, a medical imaging and exchange network company. He has also worked for Healthways and Care Management International, a care management services provider he co-founded in 2006.

To read more, click here.


Healthcare investment firm Patient Square Capital has appointed Kaveh Samie as a partner of the firm. He will serve as chairman and CEO of MENA and Head of International Fund Partnerships.
Samie has spent decades building relationships with CEOs and sophisticated investors, managed transactions, and run regional activities in the Middle East and North Africa and other geographies.
Prior to joining Patient Square, Samie was executive chairman and the head of MENA for Neuberger Berman and served in a similar role at KKR where he was CEO and Head of MENA and new markets.
To read more, click here.

Nordic Consulting, a global health and technology consulting company has expanded its international team, with the promotion of Terri LeFort to president of Nordic International. It has also hired Kieran Hughes as president of Nordic’s European and Middle Eastern markets and Thomas O’Shaughnessy as president of Healthtech, a Nordic Global Company operating in Canada. These changes follow its recent acquisition of Hygeian Consulting and plans for a new office in Dubai.

Prior to Nordic, Hughes worked in healthcare consulting, innovation, and technology services firms, where he executed international M&A and growth strategies.

O’Shaughnessy will help drive Healthtech’s evolution and growth, develop and execute business strategy and support the expansion of Nordic’s Meditech practice in the United States.

To read more, click here.


Virgin Pulse, a global digital health company, has hired Dr. Jeffrey Jacques, as chief medical officer. Jacques has more than 20 years of experience in digital health innovation and caregiving, including more than a decade with CVS Health/Aetna.
He will also lead the company’s Science Advisory Board, which helps ensure that Virgin Pulse’s technology and the experiences it supports are rooted in the most relevant scientific evidence and best practices.
Prior to Virgin Pulse, Jacques was CEO and co-founder of CareTribe, a digital health platform supporting the needs of family caregivers. It was acquired by Cleo in 2022.
To read more, click here.

DotCom Therapy, a pediatric therapy and support business, has appointed Dr. Omar Dawood as CEO and board member. As a pediatric cancer survivor and provider, Dawood brings unique insight to the role.

He previously served as head of commercial strategy and president of BetterUp care at BetterUp, chief medical officer and head of sales for Calm, and chief medical officer of Ginger and president of Ginger Medical Corporation (now Headspace Health).
To read more, click here.
Picture: marchmeena29, Getty Images

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