Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of significant leadership hirings, firings and retirings across the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Darren Incorvaia or Zoey Becker and it will be featured here at the end of each week.
Former Aurion chief vaults to Valitor
Valitor
Ophthalmology biotech veteran Gregory Kunst has found his next venture after being removed as CEO of Aurion Biotech during its contentious sale to Alcon. Kunst is now CEO of Valitor, replacing interim CEO Michael Ostrach, where he will focus on bringing lead wet age-related macular degeneration candidate VLTR-559 into the clinic. Kunst brings a bevy of clinical and commercial experience to the role; before selling Aurion to Alcon, he spent six years at Glaukos Corporation, where he led the launch of four products and spearheaded development of multiple others. Kunst first cut his teeth in the eye disease world at Alcon, working his way up over five years to become global marketing director for retina pharmaceuticals. Release
Newleos turns new page with CEO replacement
Newleos Therapeutics
Newleos Therapeutics welcomed a new CEO and president in Timothy Noyes, who is taking over from founding CEO David Donabedian, Ph.D. Donabedian, an executive partner at Longwood Fund, will stay on with the company in an advisory capacity. Noyes, meanwhile, joins the neuropsychiatric drug maker with more than 30 years of experience leading biotech companies through key growth phases, most recently as the CEO of Aerovate Therapeutics. Now, he will guide Newleos toward its goal of providing a new dawn, or “eos,” for those with mental illness through its pipeline of Roche-acquired small molecules that target general anxiety, social anxiety, substance use disorders and cognitive impairment. Release (PDF)
New ARPA-H director ascends
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has found a new leader after its previous director Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D. departed in February. The Trump administration has tapped Alicia Jackson, Ph.D, to lead the initiative, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told Fierce, and she was sworn in Oct. 20. ARPA-H falls under the HHS and was launched by former President Joe Biden in 2022. Jackson previously worked in the federal government at the biotechnology office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA, which served as the model for ARPA-H. She rejoins the government from Evernow, a digital women’s health platform that she founded and ran as CEO.
> Generation Bio is spawning a new era with a CEO transition as Geoff McDonough, M.D., steps down to chair the company’s board of directors while Chief Legal Officer Yalonda Howze takes on the role in the interim. Release
> Savara is promoting its head of clinical development and clinical operations Yasmine Wasfi, M.D., Ph.D., to the executive team as chief medical officer, succeeding Ray Pratt, M.D., as he pivots to a senior medical advisor position. Release
> Basking Biosciences is enjoying new funding and a new CEO in Julia Owens, Ph.D., an experienced executive who will work with founding chief Richard Shea in his new chief operating officer capacity. Release
> Cell and gene therapy maker Abeona Therapeutics tapped established gene therapy expert James Gow, M.D., to serve as SVP and head of clinical development and medical affairs. Release
> Clarametyx Biosciences is keeping the pace toward rapid pipeline development as it lifts its SVP of corporate development Steve St. Onge to the chief business officer ranks and brings in Brendan Doran to head up clinical development. Release
> CytomX Therapeutics is hoping to expand the reach of its Probody biologics platform with new Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer Rachael Lester. Release
> Adam Villa and Ashley Jones have ascended into immune-focused Climb Bio’s leadership ranks as senior vice presidents of technical operations and people and workforce strategy, respectively. Release
> French cell therapy manufacturer Astraveus is bolstering its leadership team with Didier Masson as chief operating officer and Ken Kotz, Ph.D., as chief technology officer. Release
> Preclinical neuroscience outfit NRG Therapeutics is tapping some industry stalwarts to join its leadership team, appointing Sarah Almond as VP of translational biology, David Brocklebank as director of clinical operations and Kathryn Oliver as director of project management. Release