OneChain Immunotherapeutics (OCI), member of CataloniaBio & HealthTech, announced Stefanos Theoharis, Ph.D., as the company's new Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds Jorge Alemany, Ph.D., who has served as CEO since the creation of the company in June 2020 and will now retire.
Under the leadership of the former CEO Jorge Alemany, Ph.D., OCI has rapidly achieved significant milestones in the field of CAR T therapies. Founded in June 2020 as a spin-off of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, also a member of CataloniaBio & HealthTech, the company reached the clinical stage in less than three years and has strengthened its pipeline with a new allogeneic platform, a second program against hematological tumors and another against solid tumors. In addition, OCI successfully closed a pre-series A funding round just seven months ago, raising €15 million in total, between dilutive and non-dilutive funding.
Stefanos joins OCI at a crucial moment, with the goal of leading the company into a new phase of development of its therapies. The new CEO plans to focus on aspects such as manufacturing, patient recruitment and market access, and emphasizes the importance of establishing strategic partnerships to advance OCI's projects to the next stage. "An essential part of my role will be to bring to the company the international reputation and network of contacts that I have built during my 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry. I am excited to contribute to this new phase of the company, where we aim to grow not only in our product portfolio but also in the internal development of our team," he states.
In this context of change and opportunity, OCI board members have expressed their enthusiasm for his arrival. “Stefanos possesses an exceptional combination of scientific knowledge and business savvy, developed through key positions in biotech and pharmaceutical companies. His profound understanding of cell and gene therapies, CAR therapeutics, and immuno-oncology aligns seamlessly with the innovative potential of the company. With Stefanos at the helm, OneChain is well-prepared to embark on its next phase of growth,” remarks Laura Rodríguez, Principal at Invivo and Board member at OneChain.
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