Medicines Discovery Catapult appoints global life science and commercialisation leaders to its Board of Directors
Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) has appointed Amira Modi and Dr Laura Fletcher to its Board of Directors, further strengthening its global life science and commercialisation expertise as MDC accelerates the translation of innovative science into treatments that reach patients faster.
Amira Modi has more than 20 years of global experience across pharmaceutical R&D, drug discovery services, healthcare technology and private equity-backed life sciences businesses. She is currently a Senior Advisor to private equity firms, supporting investments in healthcare and life sciences and driving portfolio value creation.
Most recently, she was Group Chief Operating Officer and a Board member at Sygnature Discovery. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at IQVIA, overseeing a $200 million technology and services portfolio supporting pharmaceutical R&D and clinical development, and leading commercial strategy and execution across the US, Europe and Asia.
Earlier in her career, Amira spent over a decade at GSK in commercial, finance, strategy and operational leadership roles, including Chief of Staff to the President of Global Pharmaceuticals.
Dr Laura Fletcher is a life sciences commercialisation expert with a strong track record in building industry partnerships and launching biotech ventures.
Laura is currently Director of Strategic Partnerships at Bind Research, the UK’s first Focused Research Organisation – a non-profit start-up with a mission to target intrinsically disordered proteins. She was formerly Head of Partnerships and Venture Portfolio at Deep Science Ventures, a UK-based venture studio, where she helped to create >10 new biotech companies tackling major therapeutic challenges.
Laura supports multiple start-ups, currently serving as a Non-Executive Director at Flip Therapeutics and Stratosvir, and holds additional biotech advisory roles. She also previously led Strategic Alliances at Cancer Research UK, brokering large drug discovery collaborations with global pharma. Laura has negotiated numerous licensing, collaboration, and spin-out deals.
The appointment of Amira and Laura builds on the Board’s existing expertise across global pharmaceutical R&D and life science commercialisation, supporting MDC as it grows its impact across the sector.
Commenting on the appointments, Dr Robin Brown, Chairman of Medicines Discovery Catapult, said:
We extend a warm welcome to Amira and Laura as they join MDC’s Board of Directors. These appointments come at a time of continued growth and opportunity for the UK’s life sciences sector, and we are delighted to bring further expertise to the Board. Amira and Laura are highly respected life science leaders whose deep sector insight will help guide MDC as it continues to accelerate the translation of innovative science into treatments that address unmet patient need.
