BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#Biotech--Odyssey Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering next-generation precision immunomodulators for inflammatory diseases, today announced the appointment of two Directors to its Board: Timothy P. Walbert, former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Horizon Therapeutics, and Ian F. Smith, senior advisor at Bain Capital Life Sciences and former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Together, these individuals have decades of senior leadership experience in building global biopharmaceutical companies.
“Tim’s legacy in the industry is hallmarked by the acquisition, development and commercialization of numerous life-changing therapies at Horizon that led to one of the largest biopharma acquisitions in recent years. Similarly, Ian was instrumental in evolving Vertex from its early stages into a global market leader – a testament to his financial acumen and ability to drive strategic growth,” said Jeff Leiden, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of the Odyssey Board.
Timothy P. Walbert has more than 30 years of senior-level leadership and advisory expertise for global biopharmaceutical companies. For 15 years, he served as Chairman, President and CEO of Horizon Therapeutics, where he oversaw the acquisition, development and commercial launch of a dozen products for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, leading to approximately $4 billion in net sales in 2023, and ultimately, Horizon’s $28.3 billion acquisition by Amgen the same year. He serves as a senior advisor to Amgen’s executive leadership and is a member of the Board of Directors for several companies, including COUR Pharmaceuticals, Sagimet Biosciences, Mirum Pharmaceuticals and Century Therapeutics.
Previously, Mr. Walbert was President, CEO and Director of IDM Pharma and Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations at NeoPharm. Before that, as the Divisional Vice President and General Manager of Immunology at Abbott (AbbVie), Mr. Walbert led the development and launch of HUMIRA®, a blockbuster product, and was also the Divisional Vice President of Global Cardiovascular Strategy. Earlier in his career, Mr. Walbert held roles of increasing responsibility at G.D. Searle & Company, where he led the CELEBREX® North America marketing team, as well as at Merck, Wyeth and H.J. Heinz. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and marketing from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania.
Ian F. Smith is a 30-year industry veteran with deep expertise in corporate strategy, finance and business development for biotech companies. Between 2001 and 2019, he served in various roles at Vertex, including as Executive Vice President and COO, and Chief Financial Officer, where during his tenure, he was responsible for the financial strategy and operations of Vertex and played a core role in the company’s transition from a research-focused biotech to a multi-billion-dollar, global organization with market-leading products approved for chronic, life-shortening genetic diseases, including cystic fibrosis.
Mr. Smith serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rivus Pharmaceuticals and iVexSol, Executive Chairman of the Board of Solid Biosciences and a member of the Board of Alkeus Pharmaceuticals, Foghorn Therapeutics and Stoke Therapeutics. He received a Bachelor of Arts with honors in accounting and finance from Manchester Metropolitan University in England.
“Tim and Ian have each played pivotal roles in creating companies that deliver novel medicines that have profoundly impacted the lives of patients worldwide. As we advance our lead programs into and through the clinic and grow into a multi-product, development-stage company, we look forward to leveraging the insights of Ian, Tim and the rest of our accomplished Board,” said Gary D. Glick, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Odyssey Therapeutics.
About Odyssey Therapeutics
Odyssey Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing the next generation of inflammatory precision medicines. Since its founding in 2021, Odyssey has rapidly advanced a pipeline of clinical- and research-stage programs, leveraging the scientific expertise of its team of drug hunters and a comprehensive suite of tools to tackle drug targets with the greatest potential to benefit patients. Odyssey’s mission is to create extraordinary leaps in patient outcomes and change the standard of care for those living with serious inflammatory diseases. For more information, please visit odysseytx.com and follow Odyssey Therapeutics on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.
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