Key Takeaways
- Jeff Jonker joins Xaira Therapeutics as President and COO, focusing on scaling its AI-driven drug discovery platform.
- Jonker brings over 20 years of biotech leadership experience, including roles at Belharra and Ambys Medicines.
- Xaira recently introduced the X-Atlas/Orion dataset, enhancing AI-driven drug discovery with over 8 million single-cell profiles.
Leadership Appointment at Xaira Therapeutics
Xaira Therapeutics has announced the appointment of Jeff Jonker as President and Chief Operating Officer. Reporting to CEO Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Jonker will be instrumental in shaping company strategy and furthering Xaira’s growth as it advances AI-enabled drug discovery. His responsibilities include overseeing operational functions and aligning them with the scientific vision of the company.
Marc Tessier-Lavigne praised Jonker’s extensive experience in the biotech industry, highlighting his entrepreneurial leadership and operational excellence. Jonker was the first employee and CEO at Belharra Therapeutics, where he built the company from the ground up. He also held significant leadership roles at Ambys Medicines and NGM Biopharmaceuticals, contributing to therapeutic pipeline expansions and strategic partnerships, such as one with Merck. Jonker began his career at Wilson Sonsini, advising life sciences and technology clients. He holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School and an M.Litt. from the University of St. Andrews.
Jonker expressed his enthusiasm for joining Xaira, emphasizing the company’s ambition to fundamentally change drug discovery. By leveraging machine learning and biological insights, Xaira aims to uncover innovative treatments and expedite their delivery to patients.
In a further demonstration of its commitment to advancing drug discovery, Xaira recently published a preprint that introduces the X-Atlas/Orion dataset. This is the largest publicly available genome-wide Perturb-seq dataset, profiling over 8 million single cells. The dataset is poised to support next-generation foundation models in biology, aligning with Xaira’s dedication to open science.
Overall, Xaira Therapeutics stands at the forefront of biotechnology, integrating advanced AI technologies to transform traditional drug discovery and development processes. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, the company aims to collaborate with leading talents in machine learning, data generation, and therapeutic product development to significantly improve patient outcomes.
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