Board of Directors

Philippe has 20 years of experience in the life science industry, including pharma, biotech and med-tech companies. Most recently, he was Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of GlycoVaxyn for seven years. GlycoVaxyn was acquired by GSK in February 2015. From 2004 to 2007, he was chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EndoArt SA, a med-tech company developing telemetric-driven implants for cardiac diseases and obesity. Endoart was sold to Allergan, Inc. From 1999 to 2003, Dr. Dro was Chief Operating Officer and part of the founding team of Axovan AG. In this GPCR-focused drug discovery company, he helped to grow the company to become a clinical-stage entity, which was ultimately acquired by Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Prior to this, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer, and he was also a member of the Board of Directors of Antares Pharma, a drug delivery company formed by the merger of Permatec Group and Mediject. He also held Executive Director positions at SkyePharma PLC during its listing on the LSE and in finance at Sandoz Pharma AG (now Novartis AG). Philippe holds a PharmD from the University of Grenoble (France) and an MBA jointly from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Lyon (France) and Cranfield School of Management (UK).

Kabeer Aziz is a Partner at Adjuvant Capital, a life sciences investment fund designed to accelerate the development of new technologies for the world’s most pressing public health challenges. Prior to Adjuvant, Kabeer was with the Global Health Investment Fund (GHIF), where he led investments in biotech companies addressing unmet needs in infectious disease as well as maternal and child health. Before GHIF, Kabeer spent time at Metalmark Capital investing across the healthcare sector and at Greenhill & Co., where he advised on biopharmaceutical M&A transactions. Kabeer is based in New York and currently serves on the Board of Directors of AN2 Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ANTX), MinervaX, Quantoom Biosciences, Frontier Nutrition, and Pulmocide, while also previously supporting Adjuvant’s engagement on the Board of Themis (acquired by MSD). He graduated with honors from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

Camilla Petrycer Hansen currently serves as a principal at Novo Holdings, where she focuses on company creation and early-stage investments. She is also part of the investment team in the REPAIR Impact Fund. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Hoba Therapeutics and Centauri Therapeutics and also acts as an observer on the Boards of Directors for Muna and Hemab. Camilla previously worked in various business development roles spanning positions at early-stage to commercial-stage companies (e.g., Novozymes, Statens Serum Institute (SSI) and Wake Forest University Health Sciences in the United States). She holds a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and a Master of Pharmacy from Copenhagen University.

Franz joined LimmaTech as Chief Executive Officer in August 2023. He has held roles of increasing complexity and responsibility in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 20 years. Most recently, he was the CEO at NASDAQ-listed CureVac SE following his tenures as Chief Corporate Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Before, Franz held the position of Vice President of Operations and Chief Compliance Officer of SYGNIS Pharma AG, where he was responsible for M&A, capital market transactions and corporate development. In the past, he held several management positions in the life sciences industry, including Vice President and General Counsel of LION Bioscience and General Counsel of Sirona Dental Systems. He holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree and studied at the University of Saarbruecken, the Catholic University of Leuven, and the University of Edinburgh.

Dr. Zina Affas Besse is a seasoned professional with a 25-year career in healthcare investments and operations. She joined AXA IM Alts, a global leader in alternative investments, in 2022 as Deputy Head of Healthcare Private Equity, having previously served in an advisory capacity since April 2020. In addition to her role at AXA IM Alts, Zina has held board positions in esteemed companies, such as Eyenuk, Biolinq, Axena Health, and Alydia Health (acquired by Organon, NYSE: OGN). Her strategic acumen has played a key role in driving growth and success within the healthcare sector. Prior to her tenure at AXA IM Alts, Zina held the position of Chief Business Officer at Novintum Bioscience, a company specializing in small-molecule cancer drug development. Her career has included significant contributions to various healthcare companies, particularly in fundraising and business development. In the field of venture capital, Zina co-founded Orion Healthcare Equity Partners, a life-sciences venture-capital startup, where she played a central role in fundraising, investment sourcing, and structuring. Her six-year term as a Principal at Atlas Venture, starting in 2002, was focused on biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors globally, covering deal-making activities. Zina began her career in law at Shook Hardy & Bacon, later transitioning to roles with Euromedica and eventually entering venture capital with Atlas Venture. She has a wealth of experience working closely with biotech startups, contributing her expertise to drug development across multiple therapeutic areas. Her educational background includes a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and pharmacy degrees from The University of Nottingham.