US biotechnology companies Sudo Biosciences, PepGen and Tonix Pharmaceuticals have all installed new legal heads over the past week.
Sudo Biosciences has hired Paul Bavier as its first chief legal officer, PepGen has added Joseph Vittiglio as chief business and legal officer, and Tonix Pharmaceuticals has appointed Irina Ishak as general counsel.
The hires come as venture funding of biotech businesses rebounded strongly in the third quarter of this year, rising 70.9% to $3.1bn from $1.8bn in the second quarter, according to GlobalData’s Venture Capital Investment Trends in Pharma report. That jump in Q3 follows a two-year investment downturn in the sector.
Bavier joins Sudo from norovirus vaccine developer HilleVax, where he was GC and chief administrative officer. He brings more than two decades of legal experience in the biotech industry, with expertise spanning financings, M&A, compliance and public market readiness.
Sudo is focused on developing ‘TYK2 inhibitors’, a type of drug that is designed to reduce inflammation in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and Crohn’s disease.
Scott Byrd, Sudo’s CEO, said: “Paul’s deep experience across the biotech lifecycle – from company formation through IPO and acquisition – makes him an outstanding addition to Sudo’s leadership team. His proven ability to integrate legal, strategic and operational priorities will be instrumental as we continue advancing our programmes and expanding globally.”
Meanwhile, Vittiglio joins PepGen full-time after spending much of the year consulting for the business. He previously held the same role at gene therapy drug-maker Bluebird Bio. Like Bavier, he brings more than two decades of experience to the role across legal, compliance, corporate development and governance matters.
PepGen is a clinical-stage biotech company that develops ‘oligonucleotide’ therapies, a type of treatment for severe neuromuscular and neurological disease.
James McArthur, president and CEO, said: “Joe is a deeply experienced legal and business leader with a proven track record guiding companies through complex transactions, regulatory milestones, financings, product launches and strategic partnerships.”
Completing the trio of hires, Ishak arrives at Tonix after more than a decade as senior counsel at New Jersey firm Lowenstein Sandler, where Tonix has been a client of Ishak’s since 2017. Over that time, she has advised Tonix on a range of matters, including structuring and negotiating financings, licensing and other strategic transactions, commercial agreements and employment-related contracts.
Tonix is a commercial-stage biotech company that develops non-opioid analgesic medicine for the treatment of fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain in the body.
Seth Lederman, president and CEO of Tonix, said: “Irina is a highly accomplished corporate and commercial attorney whose experience spans public and private life sciences companies, as well as advising life sciences investors.
“Her deep background in complex transactions, public company matters and governance will be a significant asset as we commercialise our marketed products, advance our pipeline, manage our partnerships and continue to execute on Tonix’s long-term strategy.”
Last week, US biopharmaceutical business Incyte named Richard Hoffman as GC, replacing Sheila Denton, who is leaving the company in the new year.
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