Infinant Health Appoints New Team Members to assist with Drug Development

Rhea-AI Summary

Infinant Health, a company focused on gut microbiome advancements to support immune system development, has announced the addition of three distinguished experts to its advisory team and board. Dr. Katharine Knobil and Dr. David Pompliano, both with extensive pharmaceutical and clinical trial experience, join as advisors. Judy Gawlik Brown, representing Manna Tree Partners, joins the board to aid in the company's pharma expansion. This move aligns with Infinant Health's recent submission for Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for their product INF108, targeting necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants. CEO Mike Johnson emphasized that these appointments strengthen the company's commitment to pioneering microbiome-based therapeutics. Dr. Knobil and Dr. Pompliano bring significant expertise in regulatory approvals and drug discovery, while Ms. Brown adds valuable insights from her executive roles at Amgen and Perrigo.

Positive

• Addition of three experts with extensive pharmaceutical experience.
• Submission for Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for product INF108.
• Dr. Katharine Knobil's experience with regulatory approvals and blockbuster medicines.
• Dr. David Pompliano's successful drug discovery and significant Series A financing experience.
• Judy Gawlik Brown's strategic expertise from Amgen and Perrigo.

Negative

• No immediate financial impacts or clinical trial results mentioned.
• Focus on appointments might overshadow any current operational or financial challenges.
• Potential high expenses related to hiring top-tier experts and expanding into pharma.

DAVIS, Calif., May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinant Health, a privately-held company focused on changing the trajectory of human health by supporting the development and restoration of the immune system via the gut microbiome, announces additions to their advisory team: Dr. Katharine Knobil and Dr. David Pompliano. Additionally, Judy Gawlik Brown has joined the board, representing Manna Tree Partners, to help prepare the company's expansion into pharma. 

Infinant Health recently announced their submission for ODD status and are augmenting their team with top-tier experts to support work underway on their groundbreaking product Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis strain, INF108, aimed at averting necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.

"It is with great pleasure that I announce the addition of three distinguished individuals to our team at Infinant Health. The extensive expertise they bring in human clinical trials, coupled with their profound pharmaceutical knowledge, fortifies our resolve as we embark on the next pivotal phase of our company's evolution," stated CEO Mike Johnson. He continued, "This strategic move underscores our commitment to pioneering advancements in the microbiome space and our dedication to excellence in therapeutic product development."

Katharine Knobil, MD
Dr. Knobil has been appointed as an Advisor to the Infinant Health Board, bringing more than 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical research and product development including global clinical research, medical affairs and patient safety in large pharma, biotech, and medtech. Dr. Knobil has strategically led research and development resulting in regulatory approval and the successful launch of blockbuster medicines.

Dr. Knobil was the first Chief Medical Officer at Agilent Technologies, the Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development at Kaleido Biosciences, and Chief Medical Officer at GlaxoSmithKline. At GSK, she directed the development of multiple new chemical entities and product line extensions, including Flolan for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension and Advair for COPD. She held roles both domestically and in expat assignments in London and Shanghai, where she established the GSK clinical development organization in China. During her career, Kate led the development and delivery of presentations at regulatory agencies worldwide, including multiple FDA Advisory Committees. Dr. Knobil currently serves on the boards of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc., Marker Therapeutics, Inc., and Nimbus Therapeutics, LLC. 

Dr. Knobil earned a BA in Biology from Cornell University, her Doctor of Medicine degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan Medical School, and completed her fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

David Pompliano, PhD
Dr. Pompliano has been appointed as an Advisor to the Infinant Health Board, offering his expertise in the pharmaceutical space as the company progresses along the pharmaceutical development path. Dr. Pompliano is a drug discovery scientist, entrepreneur and executive with >30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Working with venture-capitalists and academicians, he creates scientifically precocious, game-changing new commercial enterprises based on exciting discoveries in academic science. 

Dr. Pompliano co-founded, and served as CSO, CIO or CEO of, Odyssey Therapeutics, Daros, Lodo Therapeutics (acquired by Zymergen) and Revolution Medicines (RVMD), and helped raise over $400m in Series A financing. He is currently co-founder and CEO of Donum Therapeutics. Earlier, as a senior executive at GlaxoSmithKline and Merck, he led drug discovery teams that produced pre-clinical credentials for >30 development candidates and five registered anti-infective (Recarbrio, Altabax) and oncology (Tykerb, Votrient, Promacta) drugs. As Owner of Sanderling Consulting LLC, he assists investors, companies, and philanthropies in setting drug discovery strategy, in executing the operations of preclinical discovery and development, and in evaluating pharmaceutical assets.

Dr. Pompliano earned the BS and PhD degrees in Chemistry from the University of Virginia and from Stanford University, respectively, and conducted research in enzymology and molecular biology as a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow in Jeremy Knowles' laboratory at Harvard University. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers in the areas of infectious diseases, cancer drug discovery, and mechanistic enzymology.

Judy Gawlik Brown, MBA
Judy Gawlik Brown has agreed to be a Member of the Board of Directors for Infinant Health, representing Manna Tree Partners. She brings a wealth of knowledge from her experience in the pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare industries.

Ms. Brown held various executive roles at global biotechnology leader Amgen, most recently as SVP of corporate affairs, responsible for strategic communications, patient advocacy, ESG strategies, and implementation. Prior to that role, she served as SVP global business solutions and finance, responsible for the global business solutions, global internal audit, tax, and treasury organizations.

Before joining Amgen, Ms. Brown served as EVP of business operations and CFO at Perrigo Company, where she oversaw all financial operations as well as IT, government affairs, corporate communications, shared services, M&A and strategy for over a decade. During her tenure, she was regularly recognized as a leading finance executive by Institutional Investor, the Wall Street Journal and IR Magazine.

Ms. Brown is a Certified Public Accountant and received her MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS in accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a board director of Belden Corporation (NYSE: BDC) where she is a member of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Finance Committee.

ABOUT INFINANT HEALTH, INC
Infinant Health, Inc ("Infinant Health"), previously known as Evolve Biosystems, is a privately held company committed to changing the trajectory of human health by supporting the development of the immune system via the gut microbiome. Investors in the company include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, Cargill, and other leading institutions. Learn more about Infinant Health at www.infinanthealth.com.

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SOURCE Infinant Health

FAQ

What is Infinant Health's recent announcement about?

Infinant Health announced the addition of three experts to their advisory team and board to support their pharmaceutical expansion and gut microbiome product INF108.

Who are the new team members joining Infinant Health?

Dr. Katharine Knobil, Dr. David Pompliano, and Judy Gawlik Brown are the new additions to Infinant Health's advisory team and board.

What product is Infinant Health focusing on for ODD submission?

Infinant Health is focusing on their groundbreaking product Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis strain, INF108, aimed at preventing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.

Why did Infinant Health announce these appointments?

Infinant Health announced these appointments to strengthen their team with top-tier experts as they expand into the pharmaceutical sector and advance their therapeutic product development.

How does Judy Gawlik Brown contribute to Infinant Health's team?

Judy Gawlik Brown brings her extensive strategic and financial expertise from her executive roles at Amgen and Perrigo to Infinant Health's board.

What is Dr. Katharine Knobil's background?

Dr. Katharine Knobil has over 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical research, global clinical research, and product development, having held key roles at Agilent Technologies, Kaleido Biosciences, and GlaxoSmithKline.

What expertise does Dr. David Pompliano bring to Infinant Health?

Dr. David Pompliano is a drug discovery scientist and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, co-founding multiple companies and leading drug discovery teams at GlaxoSmithKline and Merck.