MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thrasos Therapeutics, a biotherapeutics company focused on delivering new solutions for kidney disease, announced that Gaétan Gravel, Life Sciences Portfolio Director at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and Joseph (Joe) Zakrzewski have been appointed to the company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Gravel and Mr. Zakrzewski join existing directors Jonathan Wener, Chairman & CEO, Canderel; Dr. Jens Eckstein, President, SR One (corporate venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline); Jean George, General Partner, Advanced Technology Ventures; Daniel Hetu, Managing Partner, Lumira Capital; and Richard Andrews, President and CEO, Thrasos Therapeutics.
“Thrasos is delighted with the addition of Gaétan and Joe to its board. It is the perfect time to add their expertise to our already talented and experienced team. We expect their expertise will be of great value as we continue to grow the company. This is a critical stage for Thrasos as enrollment in our Acute Kidney Injury Phase 2 clinical trial continues and as we expand our product offerings,” commented Rick Andrews, President and CEO of Thrasos.
“Gaétan has been a strong supporter of Thrasos for several years, and Joe brings broad experience from many successful biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The input they bring will be a tremendous asset to Thrasos in both the near and long term,” said Jens Eckstein, Ph.D., President, SR One and Chairman of the Board of Thrasos.
“Gaétan and Joe’s combined expertise will complement our current board and I am certain their guidance will prove beneficial as Thrasos grows and expands its product development activities,” said Jonathan Wener, Chairman & CEO of Canderel and member of Thrasos’ Board of Directors.
Mr. Gravel has over 30 years of experience in corporate finance, notably venture capital. He joined the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, the largest development capital network in Quebec with over $10 billion in assets, as Senior Investment Advisor in the Life Sciences group in February 1997 and was promoted to Portfolio Manager in February 2000. Since 1997, he has completed numerous investments and managed a large portfolio focused in life sciences. He has served on the Board of Directors of many privately-held and publicly-traded biotechnology companies. From 1977 to 1997, he held several positions with the Business Development Bank of Canada. Mr. Gravel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance option, from the HEC Montréal.
Mr. Zakrzewski has over 20 years of experience as an executive in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, serving on the Board of Directors of Acceleron Pharmaceuticals, Amarin Pharmaceuticals, Insulet Corporation, Liposcience and Gliacure. He was most recently Chairman and CEO of Amarin Pharmaceuticals, a publicly traded company focused on the development and commercialization of cardiovascular drugs. Mr. Zakrzewski also served as a Venture Partner with Orbimed, the world’s largest healthcare-dedicated investment firm in 2010 and 2011. Prior to this, he was Chairman, President & CEO of Xcellerex, a privately held company from 2007 to 2010 (sold to GE Healthcare). From 2005 to 2007 Mr. Zakrzewski served as the COO of Reliant Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on cardiovascular drugs (sold to GlaxoSmithKline in 2007). From 1988 to 2004, Mr. Zakrzewski served in a variety of executive level capacities at Eli Lilly & Company. Mr. Zakrzewski received a BS in Chemical Engineering in 1986, an MS in Biochemical Engineering from Drexel University in 1988, and an MBA in Finance in 1992 from Indiana University.
“Thrasos has made tremendous progress over the past few years and I am excited to become part of Thrasos’ Board of Directors at such a critical stage of the company’s growth,” said Mr. Gravel. “With THR-184 progressing nicely in Phase 2 clinical studies, I look forward to providing my guidance and support to help the company achieve its strategic objectives.”
“I am pleased to be joining the board of a company with a technology platform that has true potential to treat and prevent kidney disease,” said Mr. Zakrzewski. “I look forward to working with Thrasos’ Board of Directors and management to bring the Company’s exciting products through clinical development and to the patients in need.”
About Thrasos
Thrasos is a private, clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on delivering new solutions to individuals affected by kidney disease. The company’s lead compound, THR-184 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical study for the prevention of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Thrasos is also developing compounds for diabetic nephropathy, a major cause of chronic kidney disease. www.thrasos.com
