Biotech company Harness Therapeutics has appointed experienced biopharma executive Meenu Chhabra Karson as chair of its board of directors.
The Babraham Research Campus-based company, which is focused on protein upregulation to develop next generation therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, said Ms Chhabra Karson brings business, scientific and operational expertise as Harness eyes its next phase of growth.
Harness Therapeutics is advancing an oligonucleotide-based platform for controlled upregulation of central nervous system targets, with a lead programme in Huntington’s disease.
Ms Chhabra Karson has worked in leadership roles in both private and public large pharmaceutical companies and small biotechs in a career spanning more than 20 years.
She has helped raise more than $500million in private and public capital, driving strategic transactions and delivering partnerships worth more $2billion, while helping companies hit key milestones.
Since July 2023, Ms Chhabra Karson has served as the executive chairperson of Samsara Therapeutics, an Oxford-based preclinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, which raised $25million in its Series A round.
Since January 2023, she has also served on the board of Macrogenics and is a member of its audit committee, while previous board appointments include chair of Apexigen, which was sold to Pyxis Oncology, chair of the audit committee of Vallon, which was sold to GRI Biotech, and chair of the audit committee at Fore Bio.
She also served as a biotech CEO for 15 years at Proteostasis Therapeutics and Allozyne, Inc and was chief business officer at BioXell SpA, while earlier in her career, she held roles at Novartis.
Ms Chhabra Karson, who is originally from Toronto in Canada, said: “I am truly excited to be appointed as chair of Harness Therapeutics. I believe my capabilities and experience can help advance the company and leverage our lead Huntington’s disease programme.
“With a unique approach to controlled upregulation of CNS targets we have the potential to transform the treatment of not only Huntington’s disease but potentially a broad array of neurodegenerative diseases for the benefit of patients worldwide.”
Jan Thirkettle, CEO of Harness, said: “I am delighted to welcome Meenu as our new board chair. Her strategic leadership, company building, and wide business development expertise, will enhance our efforts to open up the target space for neurodegenerative diseases.
“Meenu joins the company at an important time as we advance our lead Huntington’s disease programme towards the clinic and seek to broaden our portfolio based on the platform we have established over the past three years.”
