Be Biopharma Announces Appointment of Susan Abu-Absi, Ph.D. as Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Abu-Absi Brings 20+ Years of Operational and Manufacturing Experience in Biologics and Cell & Gene Therapy

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Be Biopharma, Inc. (“Be Bio”), a clinical-stage company pioneering the discovery and development of engineered B Cell Medicines (BCMs), today announced the appointment of Susan Abu-Absi, Ph.D., as Chief Operating Officer. With over 20 years of experience in strategic operations, product development and manufacturing in the biotechnology industry, Dr. Abu-Absi brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role, positioning Be Bio for continued growth and operational excellence.

Dr. Abu-Absi's career has been marked by her leadership in the development and manufacturing of biologics and cell and gene therapies, contributing to the approval of several key products, including Abecma, Zynteglo, Skysona, Yervoy and Opdivo. Dr. Abu-Absi most recently served as Chief Technology Officer at 2seventy bio, where she built the global manufacturing and supply infrastructure and managed strategic partnerships with academics, partner innovator companies and suppliers to enable the translation of four novel cell therapies into the clinic. Prior to that, she held leadership roles in technical and product development at bluebird bio, Bristol Myers Squibb and Bayer Healthcare. Dr. Abu-Absi holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toledo.

“Susan is an outstanding leader and accomplished executive whose experience will further strengthen our leadership team as we solidify our position as a multi-program, clinical-stage company," said Joanne Smith-Farrell, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer. "She joins Be Bio at an ideal time, with enrollment now underway in the BeCoMe-9 trial for BE-101 in Hemophilia B, and with our development candidate, BE-102, progressing toward IND as a potential breakthrough for patients with Hypophosphatasia. We look forward to leveraging Susan’s expertise as we pioneer our B Cell Medicines to potentially transform the treatment landscape for a wide range of diseases."

In conjunction with the appointment of Dr. Abu-Absi, Be Bio announced the departure of President & Chief Operating Officer Krishnan Viswanadhan, Pharm.D., who is leaving Be Bio to pursue another leadership position in the biotechnology industry.

“I would like to thank Krishnan for his invaluable contributions to Be Bio, especially his leadership in advancing our lead program, BE-101, to the clinic as a potentially game-changing therapy for people with Hemophilia B,” continued Dr. Smith-Farrell. “His dedication and impact have helped shape who we are today, and we are deeply grateful for his time with us. We wish him all the best in his next chapter.”

About Engineered B Cell Medicines – A New Class of Cellular Medicines

The B cell is a powerful cell that produces thousands of proteins per cell per second at constant levels, and over decades. Precision genome editing can now be used to engineer B Cells that produce therapeutic proteins of interest, driving a new class of cellular medicines – Engineered B Cell Medicines (BCMs) – with the potential to be durable, allogeneic, redosable, and administered without pre-conditioning. The promise of BCMs could transform therapeutic biologics with broad application — across protein classes, patient populations and therapeutic areas.

About Be Biopharma

Be Biopharma (“Be Bio”) is pioneering Engineered B Cell Medicines (BCMs) to dramatically improve the lives of patients who are living with Hemophilia B and other genetic diseases, cancer, and other serious conditions. With eyes locked on the patient, our team of purpose-driven scientists, technologists, manufacturing experts and business builders collaborate to create a bold new class of cell therapies. Be Bio was founded in October 2020, and is backed by ARCH Venture Partners, Atlas Venture, RA Capital Management, Nextech, Alta Partners, Longwood Fund, Bristol Myers Squibb, Takeda Ventures, Seattle Children’s Research Institute and others to re-imagine medicine based on the power of Engineered B cells. For more information, please visit us at Be.Bio and our LinkedIn page.