LimmaTech Biologics AG, a clinical-stage biotech company developing vaccines for the prevention of life-threatening diseases, today announced the appointment of Staph Leavenworth Bakali as independent Chairman of its Board of Directors. Mr. Leavenworth Bakali brings over 30 years of senior executive and board-level experience in the life science and healthcare industries.
Staph Leavenworth Bakali has led early-stage and mature companies through product development, growth, and commercialization while raising significant capital and has been closely involved in several successful exits. He succeeds Dr. Philippe Dro, who will remain a member of the Board of Directors representing Adjuvant Capital.
"Staph is an exceptional leader, knowing what it takes to transform vaccine candidates into commercial products, and we will greatly benefit from his deep global experience as we advance our pipeline towards the next key milestones," said Dr. Franz-Werner Haas, CEO of LimmaTech. "His background in commercial and impact-driven enterprises, familiarity with high and low to middle-income countries, and roles in large and small companies brings valuable expertise to LimmaTech's mission to address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance while generating value for our stakeholders. I would like to thank Philippe for his dedication and guidance as Chair since the genesis of LimmaTech and am delighted that he will continue contributing to LimmaTech on the Board."
Staph Leavenworth Bakali added, "As antimicrobial resistance continues to rise globally, infections will become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat. LimmaTech is at the forefront of combating this epidemic with a robust pipeline of vaccine candidates that can mitigate this escalating risk and control several highly transmissible pathogens. I look forward to sharing my experience and working with the LimmaTech team in our mission to address significant global medical needs and making a meaningful impact on people’s lives."
Mr. Leavenworth Bakali most recently served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of George Health Enterprises, the commercial arm of The George Institute for Global Health, a leading medical research institute. In this role, he was deeply involved in establishing and growing a portfolio of companies focused on providing market-disruptive treatments, technologies, devices, and services addressing the large and fast-growing global chronic disease market. Previously, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a non-profit organization founded by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Mr. Leavenworth Bakali held several senior leadership roles in the vaccine industry, including CEO and Director of vaccine development companies Genocea Biosciences and Intercell, respectively. He served as Chief Operating Officer at ID Biomedical and PowderJect Pharmaceuticals, which were acquired by GlaxoSmithKline and Chiron, respectively. He served as the Global Commercial Head of Sales for Chiron’s global vaccine business and the Director of SmithKline Beecham’s vaccine business unit in France. Mr. Leavenworth Bakali holds a Masters in Management from the London Business School.