CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MEDIPOST, Inc., a global leader in stem cell-based therapeutics, today announced the appointment of five senior executives, each bringing decades of expertise in biologics and cell & gene therapy. The newly assembled team is a crucial part of the company’s journey as it brings its flagship regenerative therapy, CARTISTEM®, to patients in the U.S. and to fulfill its mission to defeat degenerative diseases.
CARTISTEM is the world’s first regulatory-approved allogeneic human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell product. Initially launched in South Korea in 2012 for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA), the product has over 10 years of real-world clinical data and has been used in more than 30,000 patients.
The U.S. team’s immediate focus is on securing Investigational New Drug (IND) approval to initiate a Phase III clinical trial, paving the way for a Biologics License Application (BLA) and a successful commercial launch in North America.
The new executive appointments follow MEDIPOST’s recent manufacturing partnership with OmniaBio and the opening of OmniaBio’s state-of-the-art cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility in Ontario. MEDIPOST’s collaboration with OmniaBio positions the company to leverage over a decade of expertise in cell and gene therapy manufacturing and analytical technologies, essential for the scale-up and distribution of CARTISTEM.
“Our new leadership team brings an unparalleled wealth of experience, aligning perfectly with our ambitious goals,” said Edward Ahn, CEO of MEDIPOST, Inc. “Combined with our track record of success, proven product and strong partnerships, MEDIPOST is ready to embark on its North American Journey and poised to transform the lives of patients suffering from osteoarthritis. We’re incredibly excited for what lies ahead.”
The following executives have joined the MEDIPOST executive team:
- Adrian Orr, Head of Clinical Development – An experienced leader of clinical research departments Adrian has spent 25 years unlocking the secrets of osteoarthritis and cartilage repair. His expertise ensures CARTISTEM will take center stage in clinical trials, moving closer to its U.S. debut.
- Jagannadha Rao Kandula, Ph.D., Head of CMC & Operations – A seasoned CMC leader, Rao has a storied career of over 25 years in scaling protein biologics and cell therapies. He most recently served as Senior Director, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Sciences and Commercialization at Bristol Myers Squibb, where he contributed to the approval and commercialization of six biologics and two cell therapy products.
- Keith Bentlage, Head of Project Management Office – With over 30 years as a program architect, Keith has successfully led programs to Phase III trial completion and commercial launch on time and on budget.
- Richard Ong, Head of Quality – An industry veteran with experience at Amgen, Shire, Merrimack, and Lonza, Richard brings deep expertise and insight into the impact of quality on process development and manufacturing, supporting early to late-phase programs. His mission is to maintain the gold standard of excellence for CARTISTEM as it progresses through commercialization.
- Raymond Bergeron, Head of Accounting & Controller – With 20+ years in biotech and investment management, Raymond honed his financial leadership approach during his tenure at bluebird bio and Evelo Biosciences (founded by Flagship Pioneering) and is crafting our roadmap for efficient operations and strategic growth.
About MEDIPOST, Inc.
MEDIPOST, Inc. is a leading commercial-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of umbilical cord-derived stem cell therapies to treat inflammation-driven degenerative diseases. The company's flagship product, CARTISTEM, is the world's first allogeneic stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis (OA), approved in Korea in 2012 and used to treat over 30,000 patients. Following its Phase 1/2a U.S. clinical trial, MEDIPOST, Inc. is now preparing its IND to begin a Phase III study. In partnership with the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM), MEDIPOST has established OmniaBio, a cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) based in Hamilton, Ontario, to manufacture CARTISTEM.
