JENKINTOWN, PA — SFA Therapeutics has installed Chairman Shawn Patrick O’Brien as chief executive officer as the biotechnology company prepares to advance its lead psoriasis drug into Phase 2 development and another candidate toward a Phase 1 pancreatic cancer trial.
O’Brien succeeds co-founder Ira C. Spector, who has moved from CEO to chief strategy officer as part of a broader management restructuring aimed at shifting the company from early clinical development toward later-stage development and potential commercialization.
The changes follow completion of a Phase 1b psoriasis trial involving SFA-002, which the privately held company is using as proof of concept for its autoimmune-disease platform. SFA is positioning SFA-002D for further clinical development in psoriasis.
The company characterized results from the Phase 1b study as strong but provided no efficacy data, safety results or statistical measures in its announcement. It also did not provide a timetable for beginning the planned Phase 2 psoriasis study.
O’Brien has served as SFA’s chairman for about four and a half years. The company cited his pharmaceutical commercialization experience, including work at AstraZeneca and leadership positions at six biotechnology companies, as central to the board’s decision.
Most recently, O’Brien served as CEO of Mayne Pharmaceuticals, where SFA credited him with leading a turnaround of the business.
“We head into Phase 2 for psoriasis and Phase 1 for pancreatic cancer,” O’Brien stated, adding that success in the two programs could improve future treatment options for patients with those diseases.
Spector, who co-founded SFA and led the company from its inception, will now focus on strategy for its immunology and pancreatic cancer portfolio. During his tenure as CEO, the company discovered nine drug candidates, secured 19 patents and completed two clinical trials, according to SFA.
“Shawn has the right commercialization experience to take SFA to the next level and deliver on the full potential of this very promising platform,” Spector stated.
The company also reshuffled its scientific leadership. Co-founder Mark Feitelson, previously chief scientific officer, will become head of discovery research and retain responsibility for laboratory and discovery programs.
SFA traces its original pipeline compounds to research conducted in Feitelson’s laboratory at Temple University, where work on additional targets is continuing.
Co-founder Alla Arzumanyan, previously chief development officer, will become chief scientific officer. She has led translational development of the company’s drug candidates and is a key inventor of SFA’s compounds, according to the company.
James Kirwin will remain chief operating officer and head of clinical operations. He has overseen clinical development programs for SFA-002D in psoriasis and autoimmune disease and SFA-009 in pancreatic cancer.
The leadership changes put greater emphasis on clinical execution and commercialization as SFA attempts to move its pipeline beyond early-stage studies. The company did not disclose financing plans, regulatory timelines or prospective commercialization dates for the programs.
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