Seattle-based Lumen Bioscience has grabbed Immocur alum Mike Spigarelli, M.D., Ph.D., as its new chief medical officer.
Spigarelli comes to the biotech from Immucor, which works on transfusion and transplantation diagnostic products, where he was its vice president of medical affairs.
He now switches gears and will lead Lumen’s pipeline, which includes experimental biologics for traveler’s diarrhea, norovirus and Clostridium difficile infection.
Its more advanced drug, LMN-101, recently finished off a phase 1 safety and dose-escalation trial in traveler’s diarrhea, with midstage tests planned for next year.
“Mike’s extensive experience across all facets of clinical drug, device, and diagnostic test development, including oversight of a vast array of FDA approvals and successful clinical trials, will be invaluable to Lumen as we look to advance and expand our clinical pipeline,” said Brian Finrow, Lumen’s co-founder and CEO.
“We found our way to Mike after an exhaustive, nationwide search, and his unique background of high-impact product developed experience in industry and deep theoretical founding from his time in academia stood out prominently.”
This comes less than two weeks after the biotech got off a $16 million series B, bringing its total raised to $68 million. Its most recent round was led by WestRiver Management and returning investor Bioeconomy Capital, with additional participation from existing investors Avista Development, Columbia Pacific, Lumen’s founders and Seattle-area angels.
“Lumen’s unique approach to drug development offers the potential to impact the treatment landscape for many diseases that currently lack effective treatments,” added Spigarelli.
“I am overjoyed to build Lumen’s clinical development team and guide the development of these potential products into clinical trials, through the regulatory pathway, and on to the world market where they can start to positively impact patients’ lives.”