Evotec fills CSO vacancy; Sibylla and AL-S Pharma name new CEOs
Every Friday, The Leadership Edit follows people taking new roles across European biotech and what their moves may tell us about the companies they join. This week: a swift scientific leadership change at Evotec, a broader reshuffle at Sibylla and a new CEO to guide AL-S Pharma toward Phase 3.
Evotec: Joanna Holbrook takes over as CSO. Holbrook will join the management board on Nov. 1, succeeding Cord Dohrmann, who stepped down Sept. 30 by mutual agreement after 16 years in the role. Holbrook joins from Novo Nordisk, where she led research in cardiovascular, renal and hepatic disease as well as in vitro discovery platforms. At Evotec, she will oversee scientific strategy across its discovery and development services and technology platforms. Go deeper.
Sibylla Biotech: Four executive changes ahead of the clinic. The Italian biotech named Usman Azam CEO and Gianluca Fuggetta CFO. Azam led CAR-T developer Tmunity Therapeutics for more than five years and previously headed Novartis’ cell and gene therapies unit. Sibylla cofounder and former CEO Lidia Pieri becomes COO, while Elena Ardini moves up to CSO. The team will advance Sibylla’s lead Cyclin D1 protein degrader toward a first human study. Go deeper.
AL-S Pharma: Harry Welten becomes CEO. He succeeds Michael Salzmann as the Swiss biotech prepares a confirmatory Phase 3 trial of AP-101, an antibody targeting misfolded SOD1 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Welten says financing and partnerships will be priorities. The company now aims to start Phase 3 in 2027, a shift from its March target of late 2026. Its earlier Phase 2 study met a primary endpoint focused on safety. Go deeper.
Integra Therapeutics: Simon Dew joins to build partnerships. Dew becomes chief business officer at the Barcelona biotech, joining from Macomics after earlier business development roles at several cell and gene therapy companies. Integra wants him to find partners for FiCAT, its preclinical gene-writing platform for cell and gene therapies. The company closed a €10.7 million financing in 2025, intended to validate CAR-T applications and prepare the technology for transfer to pharma partners. Go deeper.
TETRAPHARM: Rolf Sass Sørensen succeeds a cofounder. Sørensen became CEO on Oct. 6, replacing Martin Rose. Rose and fellow cofounder Jesper Breum are leaving operational roles to pursue new biotech ventures but remain shareholders. Sørensen, a former Bavarian Nordic investor relations executive, takes over a business combining preclinical drug programs with contract development and manufacturing services. Go deeper.
