AstriVax Therapeutics Appoints Former Bayer Pharma CEO Dieter Weinand as Board Chairman
Key Insights
AstriVax Therapeutics (search) has appointed Dieter Weinand, former CEO of Bayer Pharma (search) with over 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, as Chair of the Board of Directors effective June 12, 2025.
The leadership change comes as the clinical-stage immunotherapy company advances its proprietary Launch-iT (search) technology platform for treating chronic infectious diseases (search), including hepatitis B virus (search) and human papilloma virus (search) infections.
The appointment follows AstriVax's recent initiation of its second Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating AVX70371 (search) for chronic hepatitis B virus (search) infection, marking a significant milestone in the company's clinical development program.
AstriVax Therapeutics (search), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing novel treatments for chronic infections, announced the appointment of Dieter Weinand as Chair of the Board of Directors, effective June 12, 2025. Weinand, the former Chief Executive Officer of Bayer Pharma (search) AG, brings more than 25 years of experience as a senior business leader in the pharmaceutical industry to the Belgium-based company.
The leadership transition comes at a pivotal moment for AstriVax as it matures into a clinical-stage company with multiple therapeutic assets in development. The appointment follows the company's recent announcement that it has initiated its second Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of AVX70371 (search) for chronic hepatitis B virus (search) (HBV) infection.
Strategic Leadership Transition
Weinand takes over from Dr. Jeanne Bolger, who served as Chair since 2022 and will remain on the Board as a non-executive independent director. "On behalf of the entire AstriVax Therapeutics (search) team and our Board, I would like to welcome Dieter Weinand as our new Chair," said Hanne Callewaert, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of AstriVax Therapeutics. "Dieter brings with him a phenomenal amount of experience as a global pharmaceutical leader. He shares our entrepreneurial drive and our mission to improve the lives of patients affected by chronic diseases."
Callewaert expressed gratitude for Bolger's contributions, noting that "Jeanne's contributions to the advancement of our therapeutic assets into clinical development have been invaluable and we are very fortunate to have her remaining on the Board where we can continue to benefit from her insights and expertise."
Industry Veteran's Perspective
Weinand expressed enthusiasm about joining AstriVax at this critical juncture. "AstriVax Therapeutics (search)' Launch-iT (search) technology platform and its immunotherapy drug candidates for the treatment of chronic infectious diseases (search) are extremely impressive and I am very excited to be joining at this significant moment in the company's journey," he stated. "I am looking forward to working with Hanne and the team as we progress the company's pipeline through clinical development, further expand our network globally with companies and investors, and make genuine positive impacts on patient outcomes."
Extensive Pharmaceutical Experience
Throughout his career, Weinand has held senior roles leading business operations globally for major pharmaceutical companies including Bayer, Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb (search) and Sanofi. He has led the development, launch and marketing of products across diverse therapeutic areas including cardiovascular disease, oncology, immunology, respiratory and inflammatory diseases. Currently, Weinand serves as a member of the Board of Coya Therapeutics and Replimune, Chairman of the Board of Confo Therapeutics, and Executive Chairman of the Board of Mnemo Therapeutics.
Proprietary Launch-iT Technology Platform
AstriVax Therapeutics (search) is developing novel immunotherapies using its proprietary Launch-iT (search) plug and play plasmid-based technology platform. The company is building a portfolio of clinical candidates targeting chronic viral infections, with initial focus on hepatitis B virus (search) (HBV) and human papilloma virus (search) (HPV) infections. According to the company, the Launch-iT product candidates are designed to be easy to produce, have limited cold chain requirements, and are expected to trigger a strong and lasting immune response.
Financial Backing and Company Foundation
Founded in 2022 and located in Leuven, Belgium, AstriVax Therapeutics (search) is supported by well-known investors including V-Bio Ventures, Fund+, Flanders Future TechFund managed by PMV, Thuja Capital, Ackermans & van Haaren, OMX Europe Venture Fund (Mérieux Equity Partners and Korys), BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, and the KU Leuven Gemma Frisius Fund.