Ins & Outs: Leadership shuffles at CDMOs

Bora has welcomed JD Mowery as the division president of its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business.

Having recently acquired a 30.5% stake in Taiwanese drug maker Tanvex BioPharma, the CDMO has added four US sites to its network. The acquisition, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, will merge Tanvex’s manufacturing capacity with Bora’s contract CDMO arm, Bora Biologics. Soon after the deal was announced, Stephen Lam joined the biosimilar-focused CDMO Tanvex as its chief executive officer (CEO). By bringing Mowery on board, Bora is setting the stage for future growth through this expansion.

“The global scale of our CDMO business requires dedicated leadership to support its future growth,” said Bobby Sheng, CEO of Bora. “I am thrilled to welcome Mowery, who brings nearly 25 years’ experience in the CDMO and biopharmaceutical industries, and I look forward to working with him to meet the needs of our customers, and of this rapidly growing organization.”

Mowery previously served as the president and CEO of KBI Biopharma, a JSR Life Sciences company where he led global CDMO operations. With experience in firms such as Genentech, Treadwell Therapeutics, Juno Therapeutics, and Celgene, he has also held leadership positions in CDMOs Lonza and AGC Biologics. Mowery is a member of the board of AST, a technology leader specializing in advanced aseptic filling and closing systems.

National Resilience

CDMO Resilience has appointed Susan Billings to the company as chief commercial officer (CCO). Billings will lead Resilience’s commercial organization, focusing on brand building, revenue growth, and market expansion.

“We are thrilled to welcome Susan to our team at such a critical time in our company’s evolution,” said Rahul Singhvi, CEO of Resilience.

“Her extensive experience in developing and scaling effective commercial strategies, combined with her innovative mindset, makes her an ideal fit for Resilience as we continue our growth trajectory.”

She began her career with technical and operational roles at TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals, an oncology start-up, before working for Merck. Billings then moved on to serve as the CCO of Vivodyne, a TechBio platform technology start-up. She also led Curia’s business development division as the vice president and global head.

Resilience recently hosted visitors at its Boston, Massachusetts manufacturing site during Biotech Week Boston.

Simtra BioPharma Solutions

Lidia Serina has joined sterile injectables-focused CDMO Simtra as its head of development services.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lidia Serina to our executive team,” said Ray Guidotti, chief operating officer (COO) of Simtra. “Her extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry and proven track record in driving operational excellence and commercial growth make her the ideal leader to head our development services business. With Serina’s leadership, we are confident in our ability to build a high-performing clinical business and achieve our ambitious growth objectives.”

With 25+ years of experience, Serina has held executive positions in Europe and North America. She has recently served as the vice president and site head for Lonza’s biologics facility in Visp, Switzerland. Additionally, Serina has worked at Curevac, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi Pasteur.

“I am excited to join Simtra BioPharma Solutions at such a pivotal time in its growth journey,” said Serina. “I look forward to working with the talented team at Simtra to further enhance our development services and deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

The New Jersey-based CDMO appointed Mike Schaefers as its CCO and head of business development in September 2024.