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 Gabrielle Masson and it will be featured here at the end of each week.
Caribou christens new CMO
Caribou Biosciences
Tina Albertson, M.D., Ph.D., has been named chief medical officer at CRISPR-focused Caribou Biosciences. Albertson was most recently the CMO and head of development for Lyell Immunopharma. She also led the development of Breyanzi as vice president of global drug development at Juno Therapeutics—including the period when it came under the control of Bristol Myers Squibb—and previously served in a leadership role at Seagen. Release
Atara shakes up leadership
Atara Biotherapeutics
Immune-focused Atara is elevating chief scientific and technical officer Cokey Nguyen, Ph.D., to president and CEO, replacing Pascal Touchon who will now be chairman of the board of directors. Outgoing board chair Carol Gallagher will become independent lead director. Before Atara, Nguyen most recently served in leadership roles at Fate Therapeutics and Pfizer. Release
Cerevance names new CMO
Cerevance
Sagar Vaidya, M.D., Ph.D., will take on the role of chief medical officer at Cerevance, a CNS-focused biotech that is currently prepping for a phase 3 trial of its Parkinson’s disease candidate. Vaidya’s more than 20-year career includes a stint at BioMarin and most recently a position as the VP of clinical development at Travere Therapeutics, where he is credited with overseeing several key programs. Release
> Microprotein specialist Velia Therapeutics has named Alan Saghatelian, Ph.D., as chief technology officer. Release
> Vaccine developer SpyBiotech is hiring former Aerium chief medical officer Prakash Bhuyan, M.D., Ph.D., to be its CMO. Release
> Jonathan Rigby is replacing Cynthia Pussinen as CEO of regenerative medicine cell therapy company Sernova. Release
> Recent Fierce 15 winner Ascidian Therapeutics promoted Pfizer vet Robert Bell, Ph.D., to the chief scientific officer role following a three-year stint as the company’s VP, head of research. Release
> Oculis’ former chief development officer Bastian Dehmel, M.D., is moving over to Pathalys Pharma, where he will serve as CMO. Release
> Back at Oculis, Sharon Klier, M.D., will be filling the chief development officer role at the ophthalmology-focused biotech. Release
> Holoclara tapped Brian Varnum, Ph.D., who previously served as CEO of Armata Pharmaceuticals, as its new R&D head. Release
> Paul Bruno, Ph.D., was named chief business officer at precision allosteric therapeutics company Atavistik Bio. Release
Editor’s note: Fierce Biotech is shaking up the way we report biopharma executive moves, narrowing in on some of the most industry-relevant changes. As always, feel free to send top C-suite transitions to the editorial team for consideration.