Ablynx announce the appointment of Dr Markus L.E. Ewert as Chief Business Officer (CBO).
Dr Edwin Moses, current CEO at Ablynx, said: "Markus brings extensive experience in leading business development teams and executing licensing deals and acquisitions.
“Having held senior positions in big pharma as well as in biotech and consultancy firms, he is ideally suited to become part of our Executive Committee and play an important role in helping Ablynx achieve its business objectives."
Dr Ewert will lead the Company's business development and corporate strategy activities, and become a member of the Executive Committee. Dr Ewert has worked for nearly 30 years in the life sciences industry and has held a number of senior business and commercial positions.
Until recently, Dr Ewert headed the Business Development team of the Healthcare division of General Electric and in that capacity executed numerous deals.
Prior to that, he worked at Novartis in its Cardiovascular and Metabolism franchise and later moved to the Molecular Diagnostics unit as Head of Strategy, Global BD&L, and M&A.
Before joining Novartis, Dr Ewert was CEO of two biotech companies and had been at The Boston Consulting Group serving as an advisor to pharmaceutical and chemical companies.
Dr Ewert holds a PhD in molecular biology from the University of Heidelberg and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Dr Ewert said: "I am very excited to join the Ablynx team and lead their business development and strategy activities. Ablynx's Nanobody platform has been clearly demonstrated to be a very powerful tool in the development of potentially new and important therapeutics.
“I am looking forward to strengthening the company's existing relationships with pharmaceutical companies, creating new partnering and strategic opportunities to further build the product pipeline, and advancing the company."