Appointment Strengthens Leadership as Company Prepares to Enter the Clinic with Off-the-Shelf Liver Therapy
Newton, MA., January 5, 2026 — Satellite Biosciences, Inc (Satellite Bio), a biotechnology company developing off-the-shelf liver therapies designed to improve liver function in patients with severe liver diseases, today announced the appointment of Steven Altschuler, MD, as Chair of its Board of Directors. Dr. Altschuler joins the Company at a pivotal time as it prepares for a first-in-human clinical trial of its lead program, SB-101, which is being developed as a therapy for infants with severe early-onset urea cycle disorders (UCD). UCD is a devastating condition for which current standard of care is associated with mortality rates exceeding 25%, cognitive impairment affecting half of patients and no curative intervention available in the first weeks of life. Satellite Bio plans to initiate its Phase 1/2 trial for UCD in 2026.
Dr. Altschuler brings deep experience advancing innovative therapies for genetic and chronic liver diseases informed by his background as a pediatric gastroenterologist and hepatologist and his leadership building and guiding biotechnology companies. His distinguished track record includes serving as Board Chair of 89Bio, a company advancing pegozafermin to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with advanced fibrosis, where he oversaw its growth through late-stage development and acquisition by Roche. Dr. Altschuler also served as Board Chair of Spark Therapeutics from inception through its acquisition, which he co-founded to develop and commercialize gene therapies originating from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) using a platform that targeted the liver to treat genetic diseases. He is currently Managing Director of Healthcare Ventures at Ziff Capital Partners and serves as Board Chair of Lexeo Therapeutics, Avista Therapeutics, ViaNautis Bio and Corner Therapeutics.
“Steven brings to the board a unique perspective as a pioneer in pediatric medicine and the development of new liver disease therapies, as well as the creation and leadership of transformational biotechnology companies,” said Tom Lowery, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Satellite Bio. “His track record of translating foundational biology into approved, commercially viable therapies will be invaluable as we enter the clinic to advance treatments for both genetic liver disorders and chronic liver disease.”
The liver is responsible for more than 500 vital functions, including converting toxins into harmless substances that leave the body, the processing of nutrients and the production of blood proteins. Severe liver diseases arise when the liver’s functional cells, called hepatocytes, can no longer perform these critical activities. Satellite Bio is developing a breakthrough new approach to restore this essential cellular function and improve liver performance. Our proprietary off-the-shelf liver therapy is designed to deliver functional liver cells into the body, where they engraft to boost liver function and enable the processes necessary for life.
“Satellite Bio is taking a fundamentally different approach to the treatment of severe liver diseases by supporting hepatocyte function directly, rather than downstream symptoms,” said Dr. Altschuler. “By combining deep biological understanding with scalable manufacturing and two complementary therapeutic strategies, the company is positioned to redefine how hepatic insufficiency is treated, helping patients avoid devastating manifestations and liver transplant when possible. I’m eager to support the team as they bring this vision into the clinic.”
In addition to his biotechnology leadership, Dr. Altschuler has held senior executive roles in world renowned academic and healthcare institutions, including Chief Executive Officer of CHOP and University of Miami Health System, Chair of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Physician-in-Chief and Division Chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at CHOP. He is a Trustee of the POLG Foundation and serves as Board Chair of the Innovative Genomics Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Altschuler earned a BA in Mathematics and an MD from Case Western Reserve University.
About Satellite Bio
Satellite Bio is a biotechnology company developing off-the-shelf liver therapies designed to improve liver function in patients with severe liver diseases. By addressing dysfunctional hepatocytes, the root cause of hepatic insufficiency, Satellite Bio’s therapies aim to restore this failing cellular function and improve liver performance in patients with life-threatening liver disease.
The company developed a proprietary, scalable manufacturing process that allows its liver therapies to be manufactured, stored and distributed with characteristics more akin to traditional drugs than conventional cell therapies, including cryopreserved off-the-shelf dosing, a sustainable cell supply and centralized, cost-efficient in-house manufacturing at scale. This approach supports two complementary therapeutic strategies: direct liver engraftment, where hepatocytes are infused into receptive livers, and ectopic engraftment, where hepatocyte-based “seeds” are implanted outside the liver to provide durable metabolic support in patients with advanced disease, such as decompensated cirrhosis.
The company’s lead program, SB-101, is being developed as a therapy for infants with severe urea cycle disorders, with plans to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in 2026. The pipeline also includes SB-201, which is being developed to improve liver function and a offer potential pathway to recompensation for hepatic encephalopathy in adult patients with chronic liver disease.
For more information, visit www.satellite.bio.
# # #