Foventa further strengthens management team with key CMO and CFO appointments

Foventa Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on novel therapies for retinal vascular diseases, today announced that it has further strengthened its management team with the appointments of Dr Zaiba Malik as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Julia Jones as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

They will assist recently appointed CEO Olav Hellebø in securing Series A funding to take lead asset FOV407 into a Phase IIb trial. The new team are united in their belief that FOV407 can become the first topical therapy for diabetic retinopathy.

Both Zaiba and Julia bring decades of biotech industry experience to Foventa. Zaiba has worked for over 20 years in clinical ophthalmology and ophthalmic drug development across industry and academia, most recently as Global Medical Director and Therapeutic Area Lead for Ophthalmology at Medpace. She received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed her ophthalmology residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan. She continues to see patients in clinical practice and participate in humanitarian ophthalmology, bringing a unique perspective on the impact of advances such as FOV407 in eye care.

Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PWC, Julia has bult up a strong track of supporting biotech companies in both the US and Europe from start up through to exit, assisting in securing and then the management of circa £1.5 billion of Venture Capital funds. Notable clients to date include Benuvia Operations Inc, PepGen Inc, MiroBio Ltd, Amphista Therapeutics Ltd, and Congenica Ltd.

Olav Hellebø, CEO of Foventa, said:

I am delighted to welcome Zaiba and Julia to the Foventa team. They share our belief that FOV407 has the potential to become one of the most innovative treatments introduced into the ophthalmology market in recent years and will make a real difference to the lives of patients.