Sitka Biopharma Inc., a preclinical biotechnology company focused on developing its breakthrough nanoparticle platform technology to increase absorption of drugs in difficult-to-penetrate tissues, is pleased to announce that Dr. Kristine Swiderek and Dr. Jack Geltosky have joined its Board of Directors.
Dr. Kristine Swiderek is the Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of venture-backed OncoResponse, focusing in immuno-oncology. She brings deep expertise in clinical, R&D, partnering and alliance management to Sitka’s Board. Previously as CSO at Theraclone Sciences, she formed multiple R&D partnerships with Pfizer, Gilead, non-profit organizations and academia, and helped advance therapeutic candidates into the clinic. She also served as Vice President, Protein Science at Zymogenetics, a public company, where she managed extensive internal and external partner portfolios. As Senior Director in Protein Biochemistry, she helped develop the PEG-Interferon lambda program which ultimately was a cornerstone for a $1.1B partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb. Dr. Swiderek did her post-doctoral training at the City of Hope, CA, and Indiana University following a PhD at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany. Dr. Swiderek is currently based in Seattle, WA.
Dr. Jack Geltosky is an experienced pharmaceutical licensing executive with a strong R&D background. He has an extensive commercial development and deal portfolio from his role as Vice President External Science, Technology & Licensing at BMS as well as positions in SmithKline Beecham, J&J, and DuPont. He has also served as CEO of Message Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Geltosky is currently the Chairman of the Product Development Review Council for Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), previously served as Senior Vice President of Business Development, Life Science at Arizona Technology Enterprises, and is a Board member of publicly-traded Sophiris Bio. Dr. Geltosky holds a PhD in biochemistry from the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Geltosky is currently based in Philadelphia, PA and Portland, OR and Managing Director of JEG and Associates, LLC, a business development consultancy firm focused on biotech and pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Michael Parr, Sitka’s President and Chief Scientific Officer commented, “We are honoured that Dr. Swiderek and Dr. Geltosky have agreed to join our Board, and I’m very much looking forward to working with them. They bring energy and corporate development expertise that will prove invaluable for Sitka as we continue to advance our leading product toward the clinic, and ultimately improve the lives of patients living with bladder cancer.”
