Constellation Pharmaceuticals has appointed Jigar Raythatha as its new chief executive officer (CEO) and president in a role that marks his return to the Cambridge, US-based company.
Raythatha re-joins the firm from Jounce Therapeutics where he was chief business officer, leading its business strategy and development since December 2012.
He said: “I am pleased to return to Constellation at a time when the company is poised for breakout success.”
“The team has done a fantastic job driving multiple clinical programmes through phase I, and I look forward to working with everyone here to build on this progress and translate the company’s stellar science into meaningful outcomes for cancer patients.”
Previously, Raythatha has served as head of corporate development at Constellation, where he led business development, strategy and programme management functions and has held roles at Biogen, Red Abbey Venture Partners and AT and Kearney.
Mark Goldsmith, executive chairman of Contellation’s board of directors, said: “We are very happy to welcome Jigar back as the CEO of Constellation Pharmaceuticals, a company with which he has a very positive history.
“Jigar has a proven track record in biotech deal-making and oncology drug development, and he is a compelling choice to lead its next phase of growth and assure that Constellation realises its full potential.”
Raythatha will replace Jim Audia as he takes up a new role on the board and as a special scientific advisor.
Meanwhile, the group is bolstering its immuno-oncology expertise with the addition of Padmanee Sharma and Robert Schreiber to the company’s scientific advisory board (SAB), and both will work with the Constellation’s leadership team to help inform research priorities, and identify potential opportunities to apply the company’s cancer epigenetics platform within immuno-oncology.
In addition James Audia who has served as chief scientific officer for the company since 2011, has been appointed as an independent member of the board of directors and a special scientific advisor to the company.