AuraVax Therapeutics, which is developing intranasal antiviral technology licensed from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Houston, has named former Merck executive Joseph C. Sullivan as the company’s first CEO. Sullivan was most recently Chief Commercial Officer at Nature’s Toolbox and previously served in various roles at Merck in vaccines, dermatology, and respiratory over about 30 years.
AuraVax co-founder Laurence Cooper said, “We are thrilled that Joe is leading the company. He brings three decades of highly relevant experience in small and large biotechnology companies. He has successfully launched drugs, licensed technologies, and built pharmaceutical collaborations. While at Nature’s Toolbox, Inc., Joe formed research collaborations with multinational and regional vaccine companies. At Merck, he managed the introduction of the vaccine Gardasil in the US and led the growth of Singulair into a multi-billion-dollar business in asthma and allergic rhinitis. Under his leadership, AuraVax will be undertaking its first clinical studies to evaluate NanoSTING, its lead therapeutic candidate. The preclinical in vivo animal data shows our technology can enhance the immune system to address infections by many different respiratory viruses without evidence of adverse events.”
Sullivan commented, “I am honored and excited to join the team at AuraVax and lead our efforts to develop this novel therapeutic. The morbidity and mortality of respiratory pathogens continues to increase world-wide and medical professionals need new options for patients. NanoSTING offers the potential to protect by activating the immune system at the first signs of disease — and is future-proof as the underlying technology appears to not be vulnerable to mutations of pathogens that can undermine the efficacy of targeted therapeutics.”
Read the AuraVax press release.
