Seasoned Biotech Executive Derrell D. Porter, M.D. Joins Portal Innovations as Board Member

Cellevolve Bio Founder & CEO will provide strategic, scientific and commercial expertise

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Portal Innovations, LLC, a national life sciences, medtech and bioinformatics start-up incubator today announced that Derrell D. Porter, M.D. is joining the Company as a Board Member. Along with Founder and CEO, John Flavin and Chairman Brian Yoor, Derrell will apply his deep biotech experience and leverage his Midwest and West Coast network to help Portal source new innovative companies and talent to its venture development platform.

Dr. Porter joins Portal with over 25 years of experience in strategy, operations, global commercialization, corporate development and clinical development. He is currently Founder and CEO of Cellevolve Bio, a novel commercialization focused cell therapy company.

Prior to Cellevolve, Dr. Porter was Global Head of Commercial Operations at Atara Bio, an off-the shelf cell therapy company where he built the global commercial organization in preparation for the launch of its first drug. Prior to joining Atara, Dr. Porter was Vice President of Commercial Planning for Gilead Sciences, where he was responsible for corporate strategy, commercial planning and global launch preparation activities for all therapeutic areas. During his tenure, he led the launch preparation for eight global brands including hepatitis C drugs Sovaldi® and Harvoni ®. Previously he was a VP with AbbVie in a variety of global, US and European commercial roles and held various positions of increasing responsibility with Amgen. He started his career at McKinsey & Company.

Dr. Porter earned his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, where he was a 21^st Century/Gamble Scholar along with an M.B.A. from The Wharton School. Additionally, he earned his BS in Psychobiology and Neuroscience from UCLA.

“Having Dr. Porter join our board of directors will ensure we provide proven commercial direction to our leadership team and portfolio companies,” said John Flavin. “As we help companies get from concept to commercial validation, having Derrell’s knowledge and global market connections will set up our platform to produce successful outcomes.”

“With so many opportunities emerging in the Midwest, I look forward to applying my experience in bringing life-saving innovations to market through the Portal platform,” said Dr. Porter. “And I’m excited to connect my strong network in California to Chicago and leverage the new Fulton Labs infrastructure to scale product development especially in the cell and gene therapy fields.”

About Portal Innovations, LLC

Portal Innovations is building a life sciences, medtech and bioinformatics start-up platform based in Chicago, Illinois. It is bringing together high-performing entrepreneurial teams, global capital and industry partners to accelerate biomedical innovations from discovery through commercial proof of concept. Portal is partnering with Trammell Crow Company to provide state-of-the art shared wet and dry labs for life sciences, medtech and bioinformatics companies. Learn more at www.portalinno.com.