ALACHUA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ology Bioservices, Inc., a biologics-focused contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving both government and commercial clients, today announced the election of industry veterans James M. Robinson, PE and Gerard Cunningham, to the Company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Robinson and Mr. Cunningham bring more than 25 years of industry experience in the development and manufacturing of vaccines and biologicals. Their appointments increase the Board to five members, as they now join President and Chief Executive Officer, Peter H. Khoury, Ph.D., MBA, Chief Financial Officer James Matthew and Board Chairman, Robert Hennessey.
“Both Jim and Gerard will provide extensive and proven expertise in the vaccines and biologicals arenas after spending their respective careers at organizations including Merck & Co., Inc., Sanofi Pasteur, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Novavax, Inc., among others,” stated Dr. Khoury. “Jim is known and trusted globally as a thought leader and expert in vaccine and biologics GMP manufacturing. Gerard has a wealth of experience in developing highly successful short- and longer-term strategies with tactical execution, and possesses a critical thought process which allows him to quickly identify potential areas of opportunity and risk. Both will be invaluable as we enter into large manufacturing projects and expand our business development efforts within the CDMO field. I am humbly honored that these world-class experts have joined our Board.”
Mr. Robinson is currently Principal of James Robinson Biologics Consulting, a firm he founded in 2015, advising vaccine and biotechnology companies on issues related to manufacturing and technology, due diligence and others. From 2010 to 2015, he served as Vice President, Global Technical Operations, Vaccines, Biological and Sterile Products for Merck & Co., Inc., where he oversaw improvements to the company’s manufacturing operations in order to increase supply performance and capacity realization for the vaccine, biologics and sterile products franchises (combined $11 B in annual sales). From 2007 to 2010, he was Vice President, Technical and Quality Operations at Novavax, Inc., managing a 40-person biotechnology team focused on recombinant virus-like particle vaccines. The prior 20 years were spent in various positions with Sanofi Pasteur, including, from 1998 to 2006, as Vice President, Industrial Operations. Mr. Robinson has been granted various international patents, serves on a number of Scientific Advisory Boards and Councils and is the author of an array of publications covering vaccines and biologics manufacturing. He holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University.
Mr. Cunningham is Founder and Principal, since 2013, of iGH (Innovations for Global Health), LLC, providing strategic advisory support and product development expertise to companies in the vaccines and biologics industries. From 2012 to 2013, he served as Executive Director-Strategic Planning for Merck’s Global Human Health Division, developing global, regional and country-specific strategies for the emerging market geography. Prior, from 2008 to 2012, Mr. Cunningham was Senior Program Officer-Vaccine Delivery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leading a collaborative effort with partners including the Clinton Health Initiative, UNICEF and others, to improve access and ensure sustainability of vaccine supply for low income markets. He began his long affiliation with Merck & Co., Inc. in 1994, holding roles of increasing responsibility, with a focus on vaccines, through 2008. Mr. Cunningham is co-author of The Complexity and Cost of Vaccine Manufacturing – An Overview. He holds Master’s degrees in Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Cambridge and an MBA in International Marketing Strategy from the University of Michigan – Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
About Ology Bioservices, Inc.
Ology Bioservices, Inc. (formerly Nanotherapeutics, Inc.) is a biologics-focused contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving both government and commercial clients. The Company’s capabilities include cell and virus banking, a pilot facility for performing optimization of upstream, downstream and formulation functions, bulk cGMP manufacturing including biosafety level-3 (BSL-3), and analytical development for proteins, antibodies, viral vaccines and gene therapy drug products. The Company provides expertise from preclinical through FDA licensure in a variety of production platforms, including microbial and mammalian cell culture and its proprietary serum protein-free Vero cell platform, a highly versatile platform that has been developed and utilized to deliver a wide range of candidate and licensed vaccines against emerging viral diseases. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.ologybio.com.
