John Tchelingerian, PhD, a well-recognized biotech entrepreneur, brings scientific, deal making and commercial experience to the team
Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, December 8, 2014 – Promethera Biosciences, a Belgian biotechnology company developing Promethera® HepaStem, a cell-based therapy for the treatment of in-born errors of metabolism and acquired liver diseases, today announces that Dr John Tchelingerian has joined the company as chairman of the board. He will support Promethera to catalyze transformative transactions in the future.
Dr John Tchelingerian joins the company at a time when Promethera is gearing up to launch a pivotal phase IIb/III trial in Europe and assess new, commercially attractive indications.
Dr John Tchelingerian is a serial entrepreneur and a private investor. His background includes strong scientific, business, managerial and deal making experience. He has co-founded and managed several biotech companies including Neurotech, Key-Obs and Diatos. In the past ten years he has raised over $100 million (€ 81 million) for his entrepreneurial ventures from VCs and private equity sources in Europe, the US and Japan. He has also closed several biotech and pharma partnering deals. Under his leadership four drugs were developed from the research stage up to clinical phase IIb/III and a marketed drug, DaunoXome, was re-launched in a cancer orphan indication both in the USA and the EU, based on phase III clinical trials.
"John is a valuable addition to our energetic team in the Promethera Biosciences boardroom," said Eric Halioua, chief executive officer at Promethera. "He will play an important role in assisting our future development plans across current and new indications of HepaStem. He has significant expertise to assist the board in its strategic decisions."
Alain Parthoens, partner at Vesalius Biocapital and lead investor said: "We are pleased that the board will be strengthened by the arrival of Dr John Tchelingerian. He is a well known biotech entrepreneur and we anticipate that his influence will guide the company to realize its potential as a major player for unmet medical needs in liver cell therapies."
"I really look forward to working with the experienced team at Promethera," said John Tchelingerian, PhD. "The company will continue in the development and commercialization of innovative cell therapy products based on its advanced liver stem-cell based proprietary technologies. Promethera Biosciences has outstanding potential to deliver world-class innovative therapeutic options in the treatment of liver diseases."
John co-founded a strategic advisory and corporate finance firm Silver Ocean Ventures in 2009; based in Paris. It primarily services the global life sciences industry regarding corporate finance, strategic business transactions and active board and leadership roles. Under his leadership Silver Ocean Ventures has closed several international capital raising and M&A transactions.
As a scientist, John has invented several patents in the field of cell therapy and drug delivery. He is a PhD graduate in Neurosciences from Pierre et Marie Curie University in Paris, France. He is fluent in five languages.
About Promethera Biosciences
Promethera Biosciences is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company that develops innovative therapies for the treatment of liver diseases. In addition, it is currently developing two products based on human liver progenitor cells: Promethera® HepaStem is a cell therapy product based on the use of allogeneic stem cells isolated from healthy adult human livers (Heterologous Human Adult Liver Progenitor Cells, HHALPC). These cells can be used to treat a wide variety of liver diseases, from rare inborn metabolic diseases (which can be classified as 'orphan diseases' and mainly affect children), to acquired deficiencies affecting adults, such as fulminant hepatitis or liver fibrosis. This treatment has already received the orphan drug designation from the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of two very debilitating pediatric pathologies and from the Food and Drug Administration (USA) for both indications.
Promethera® H2Screen/H3Screen is a non-therapeutic in vitro product, based on a recently discovered and patented liver progenitor cell type, isolated from healthy adult human livers. This novel biotechnology tool is designed for early preclinical pharmaco-toxicological evaluation of drug candidates and new chemical entities.
Promethera Biosciences is a spin-off of the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL). Founded in 2009, it is located in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium.
Since its creation in 2009, Promethera Biosciences has raised €65.5 million in capital, grants and loans from the Walloon region and bank loans. The main investors are Vesalius Biocapital, Mitsui Global Investment, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Shire, SRIW, SFPI and SMS Investments. Promethera Biosciences has 40 employees led by an experienced management team.
www.promethera.com
@Promethera
LinkedIn: Promethera Biosciences