Dave Lennon Stepping Down as CEO; Dr. Alireza Rezania Joins as Chief Scientific Officer
Tom Lowery (CTO) and Laura Lande-Diner (CBO) to Serve as Presidents of Satellite
WATERTOWN, MA., September 18, 2023 – Satellite Bio, a preclinical stage biotechnology company pioneering Tissue Therapeutics to restore, repair or replace the function of a diseased or damaged organ, today announced that Dave Lennon, Ph.D. is stepping down as CEO to pursue other opportunities, effective September 19th. Current executive leadership team members Tom Lowery, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer and Laura Lande-Diner, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer, who have been with the company since its inception, will serve as Presidents of Satellite. In addition, Dr. Alireza (Ali) Rezania, Ph.D., one of the leading drug developers in the cell therapy space, has joined the company as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Rezania will oversee Satellite’s research and scientific strategy and lead the development and application of the company’s Satellite Adaptive Tissue (SAT) Platform to advance tissue therapeutic candidates from discovery to the clinic.
“The board and I thank Dave for his contributions to the company’s growth and development. We are pleased to have an experienced leadership team to take Satellite into the future,” said Ellie McGuire, Chair of the Board of Satellite Bio. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Rezania, a dynamic scientist who brings robust experience advancing cell therapies into clinical development. His leadership and unique insights will have a significant impact on accelerating our mission to address severe, life-threatening elusive diseases using Tissue Therapeutics,” added McGuire.
Dr. Rezania is a tenured leader, with more than 20 years of cell therapy discovery and development expertise. He joins Satellite from CRISPR Therapeutics where he served as head of regenerative medicine and was responsible for the launch of two cell therapy product candidates, and the development and advancement of the first immune-evasive cell therapy product candidate for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes into clinical development. Prior to CRISPR, he held multiple senior scientific roles, including at ViaCyte, a cell therapy company acquired by Vertex, and increasing responsibilities across Johnson & Johnson companies.
“I was drawn to Satellite for the opportunity to apply the culmination of my experience to overcome the historical obstacles that have hindered the successful application of solid organ cells as therapeutic agents,” said Dr. Rezania. “As a career scientist dedicated to advancing cell-based therapies, I’m eager for the opportunity to join this ambitious team on the cusp of delivering on the promise of Tissue Therapeutics.”
Dr. Rezania received a B.A. in Physics from Grinnell College, a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University, an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University. He is the inventor of more than 55 patents and has authored 25 peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Rezania joins a deeply experienced executive leadership team that includes Laura Lande-Diner, Ph.D., President and Chief Business Officer; Tom Lowery, Ph.D., President and Chief Technology Officer; and a diverse group of advisors and directors that include co-founders Sangeeta Bhatia, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center for Nanomedicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Christopher Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Biological Design Center, Boston University.
About Satellite Bio
Satellite Bio is a preclinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the next generation of regenerative medicine, Tissue Therapeutics, by harnessing the dynamic and powerful therapeutic potential of solid organ cells to address severe, life-threatening diseases affecting critical organs. Satellite’s Tissue Therapeutics use precisely programmed ensembles of cells designed to rapidly integrate into the body and provide the comprehensive and durable cellular response required to restore, repair or replace the function of a diseased or damaged organ.
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