Semma Therapeutics Expands Executive Leadership Team

December 18, 2018 |

2 min read

Appoints David Lebwohl, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, David DiGiusto, Ph.D., as Chief Technology Officer and Ann Darda as Head of Human Resources

Dec. 18, 2018 12:00 UTC

-- Appoints David Lebwohl, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, David DiGiusto, Ph.D., as Chief Technology Officer and Ann Darda as Head of Human Resources --

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Semma Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering the curative use of stem cells in regenerative medicine, today announced the appointments of David Lebwohl, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer and David DiGiusto, Ph.D., as Chief Technology Officer and Ann Darda as Head of Human Resources.

“We are pleased to welcome Drs. Lebwohl, DiGiusto, and Ms. Darda to Semma,” said Bastiano Sanna, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and President, Semma Therapeutics. “Cell therapy is exciting and challenging, and their combined experience and deep expertise in the field, both scientific and organizational, will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and soon expand to clinical proof of concept. I look forward to working closely with them.”

Dr. Lebwohl brings decades of successful drug development experience, joining Semma from Novartis, where he served as Senior Vice President and Franchise Global Program Head of the CAR T team. Dr. Lebwohl lead the development of Kymriah, resulting in the approval of the first BLA for a CAR T therapy worldwide. Before that, he served as Global Head of Oncology Clinical Development and Global Program Head for Afinitor, an oral mTOR inhibitor, within Novartis, where he was responsible for its development from Phase 1 through five NDA/MAA approvals.

Dr. DiGiusto has almost 30 years of experience in the scientific, clinical and regulatory aspects of cells as therapeutic agents. He has been instrumental in the creation of six GMP compliant biologics manufacturing facilities and was instrumental in the filing of over a dozen INDs. Dr. DiGiusto is a member of the NIH recombinant DNA advisory committee (RAC) and joins Semma from Stanford University.

Ms. Darda brings over 20 years of experience leading people and culture efforts that support scientific and business strategies. Most recently, she served as the Global Head of Talent Management and Organizational Development for Novartis Institutes of BioMedical Research (NIBR), where she led talent strategy and supported divisional business initiatives. Ms. Darda also held leadership roles at Biogen and Wyeth/Pfizer, often leading significant change initiatives. Ms. Darda holds a master’s degree from Columbia University in organizational psychology.

About Semma Therapeutics
Semma Therapeutics is pioneering the new treatment paradigm of using cells as medicine. Semma’s new class of regenerative medicine therapies couples its breakthrough stem cell technologies with proprietary delivery systems designed to protect cells from the immune system. Ongoing research at Semma Therapeutics is focused on combining these highly-differentiated active cells with a state-of-the-art device to provide a functional cure for patients with diabetes. Semma Therapeutics is working to bring new therapeutic options to the clinic and improve the lives of patients. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA, with operations in Providence, RI. For more information, visit www.semma-tx.com.