Experienced immunologist as CMO

Barker joins Centauri’s leadership team as an experienced clinical immunologist with extensive leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Her appointment aims to drive the development of therapeutic pipelines and ensure the smooth running of Phase I clinical trials for the company’s lead drug candidate.

She brings more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership and commercial roles in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries to her new role. Barker has worked for Novartis, Roche and GSK. At Novartis in particular, she held various senior positions in science, operations and sales for more than 17 years, including heading up development for infectious diseases, immunology and transplantation. She also has extensive experience as an executive in the biotech industry, which she gained as CMO at Destiny Pharma and Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals AG.

As Chief Medical and Development Officer of Swiss biotech company Polyphor, she was the medical director of the company’s highly successful IPO on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Dr Barker currently also serves as a non-executive director and chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of CureVac NV and as a non-executive director of Qureight Ltd.