#USA #Providence #EpiVax #Immunogenicity #Vibha Jawa

EpiVax Welcomes Dr. Vibha Jawa as its New Chief Scientific Officer

EpiVax, a prominent leader in the preclinical assessment of immunogenicity for biologics and vaccines, has recently announced the appointment of Dr. Vibha Jawa as its new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). This strategic move marks a significant shift in EpiVax's leadership, as Dr. Jawa takes over from the company's founder and previous CSO, Dr. Annie De Groot, who will now serve as the Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Jawa comes to EpiVax with more than 20 years of experience in the biotechnology field, particularly in product development for biologics, vaccines, and gene therapies. Her previous role was as Executive Director of Translational Medicine at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she was responsible for leading bioanalytical strategies that supported preclinical and clinical evaluations related to pharmacokinetics (PK) and immunogenicity throughout the development process.

Her career also includes notable positions at Merck and Amgen, where she directed immunogenicity assessment efforts from discovery phases to development stages. Throughout her career, she has played an essential role in the success of over 20 investigational new drug applications (INDs), biologics license applications (BLAs), and marketing authorization applications (MAAs) across a variety of therapeutic modalities. Notably, she was part of the University of Pennsylvania's team that backed the first gene therapy product to receive FDA approval.

Known as a leading expert in bioanalysis and immunogenicity from discovery to commercialization, Dr. Jawa has contributed significantly to the scientific community with over 100 peer-reviewed publications. She currently holds prominent positions in multiple prestigious scientific societies and consortia, such as the AAPS, IQ, SC, and EIP, and gained recognition as a Fellow of the AAPS in 2022 for her remarkable contributions to the field.

"We are excited to welcome Vibha to the team," stated Dr. Rich-Henry Schabowsky, CEO of EpiVax. "Her profound experience in biologic products, particularly in innovative modalities, coupled with her expertise in immunogenicity risk assessment and mitigation will be pivotal as we continue to evolve our methods to meet the complex needs of the industry."

In her new role as CSO, Dr. Jawa will be responsible for both internal and external initiatives, representing EpiVax in key meetings while overseeing internal research and validation efforts. Her leadership is expected to expand the company's therapeutic reach and reinforce EpiVax's reputation as a trusted partner in the development of vaccines and biologic products.

Dr. Annie De Groot, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of EpiVax, added, "Dr. Jawa is the perfect scientific leader for EpiVax 2.0—the transformation of our company that began in 2024. She brings the exact energy that EpiVax needs at this juncture. I am thrilled to hand over the reins to Dr. Jawa, confident that she will ensure EpiVax remains at the forefront of immunogenicity science, pushing boundaries, validating new ideas, bridging in vitro data, immunoinformatics, and AI, and establishing higher standards for translational immunology."

Dr. Jawa expressed her enthusiasm about joining the EpiVax team, saying, "This is an extraordinary company with a long history of scientific leadership in immunogenicity assessment. I look forward to building on that legacy and fine-tuning our approaches to ensure we provide the most accurate and insightful support."

About EpiVax

EpiVax is recognized as a leader in preclinical immunogenicity assessments and sequence optimization for peptide-based therapies, biologicals, gene and cell therapies, and vaccines. The company collaborates with a global roster of companies, governmental agencies, and academic institutions to accelerate immunogenicity risk evaluation, immune modulation, and rapid vaccine design. For more information, visit EpiVax.