BOSTON — Calluna Pharma AS, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class antibodies for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, said Gijs van den Brink, MD, PhD, has joined its board of directors as an independent director.
Van den Brink is a seasoned researcher and drug developer with extensive experience leading immunology research and clinical development programs at major pharmaceutical companies, including Roche and GSK.
“Gijs brings an exceptional blend of scientific depth, clinical insight, and strategic leadership to our board of directors,” said Calluna Chief Executive Officer Mark Gaffney. “We are thrilled to welcome him and are confident his expertise will strengthen our mission as we advance our pipeline in fibrotic and other inflammatory disorders.”
During his tenure at Roche, van den Brink served on the Pharma Research and Early Development leadership team and held the role of senior vice president and global head of Immunology, CVM, Infectious Diseases, and Ophthalmology Discovery and Early Development. Prior to Roche, he was senior vice president and global head of Immunology Discovery and Early- and Late-Stage Clinical Development at GSK.
He currently serves as chief scientific officer of Granite Bio and is an operating partner at Forbion.
“I am delighted to join the Calluna board and support its talented management team and their innovative programs,” van den Brink said. “Calluna is pursuing highly promising innate immunity targets across its pipeline and is deeply committed to advancing novel medicines that have the potential to transform care for patients. Their work has far-reaching implications for a broad spectrum of inflammatory and fibrotic disorders, and I look forward to contributing to its next stage of scientific and clinical progress.”
Van den Brink earned his MD and PhD from the University of Amsterdam Medical Center and completed his training in internal medicine and gastroenterology in Amsterdam, Geneva, and Leiden. He later served as a board-certified gastroenterologist and professor of experimental gastroenterology at the University of Amsterdam, where he led pioneering research in inflammatory bowel disease. He has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications.
