Longeveron Inc. (NASDAQ: LGVN), a clinical stage regenerative medicine biotechnology company, announced the appointment of Than Powell as Chief Business Officer, effective July 7, 2025. Powell will lead the company's overall business strategy, Alzheimer's disease program partnering efforts, and international strategy for the hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) program.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for the Miami-based company, which recently completed enrollment of its pivotal Phase 2 trial evaluating stem cell therapy laromestorcel for HLHS. According to CEO Wa'el Hashad, the company is approximately 13 months from top-line data, which, if positive, would serve as the foundation for Longeveron's first Biological License Application (BLA) submission.
Strategic Leadership Addition
"We are delighted to have Than join Longeveron at this transformational time in the Company's development," said Hashad. "Than's experience across multiple pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will help guide Longeveron's efforts to build on the clinical success of laromestorcel to date through partnering strategy for Alzheimer's disease and international strategy for HLHS."
Powell expressed enthusiasm about joining the company, citing personal motivation. "The scientific rigor and ground-breaking innovation at the heart of Longeveron's stem cell research is inspiring, especially as my family has been impacted by some of the diseases they are studying," he said.
Extensive Industry Experience
Powell brings over 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotech leadership experience from multiple industry-leading organizations, including GSK and Eli Lilly. Most recently, he led Corporate Development & Strategy for Surescripts, ultimately resulting in the company's acquisition by TPG. Prior to that role, Powell founded and served as CEO of Epulate, a venture-backed health technology company focused on Transplant Immunology.
Powell holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from DePauw University and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.
Laromestorcel Development Pipeline
Longeveron's lead investigational product, laromestorcel (Lomecel-B™), is an allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapy product isolated from the bone marrow of young, healthy adult donors. The therapy demonstrates multiple potential mechanisms of action encompassing pro-vascular, pro-regenerative, anti-inflammatory, and tissue repair and healing effects with broad potential applications across various disease areas.
The company is currently pursuing three pipeline indications: hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, and aging-related frailty. Laromestorcel development programs have received five distinct FDA designations, underscoring the regulatory agency's recognition of the therapy's potential.
Regulatory Recognition
For the HLHS program, laromestorcel has received Orphan Drug designation, Fast Track designation, and Rare Pediatric Disease designation. The Alzheimer's disease program has been granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation and Fast Track designation, highlighting the FDA's acknowledgment of the therapy's potential to address significant unmet medical needs in both rare pediatric conditions and neurodegenerative diseases.
