BOSTON, Massachusetts — Strand Therapeutics has appointed biotechnology executive Jeb Keiper to its Board of Directors as an independent member, strengthening the company’s leadership as it advances its programmable mRNA platform and clinical pipeline.
Keiper is the former CEO of Nimbus Therapeutics, where he spent more than a decade building the company from an early-stage platform to a multi-program clinical organization. His leadership experience spans preclinical research, clinical development, business development and licensing, and large-scale strategic partnerships—expertise Strand aims to leverage as it continues expanding its next-generation mRNA programs.
“We’re building the infrastructure of programmable genetic medicines, and bringing Jeb on at this stage reflects the trajectory we’re on,” said Jake Becraft, PhD, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Strand Therapeutics. “He’s built multi-billion-dollar platform biotechs, structured transformative partnerships, and navigated complex growth stages. That strategic perspective will be invaluable as we scale our platform and advance multiple clinical programs.”
Keiper joins the board following his extensive tenure at Nimbus Therapeutics, where he served in roles including Chief Business Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and ultimately Chief Executive Officer. During his time at the company, he oversaw the advancement of four programs into clinical development across multiple therapeutic areas, raised more than $650 million in equity funding, executed partnerships valued at over $7 billion, and returned more than $4.1 billion in gains to equity holders. Before joining Nimbus, he spent nearly a decade in business development leadership roles at GSK.
“Strand’s vision to use the demonstrated power of mRNA with precisely programmed expression to any specific cell type has the potential to be transformative for the treatment of many diseases. Strand has already shown patient success with its first clinical program STX-001, with even more advanced programs coming to the clinic next year and beyond. I deeply admire this company the founders have built, and am delighted to join as Strand’s first independent Board Director,” said Keiper. “I look forward to helping Jake and the Strand team achieve their ambitious vision.”
Keiper currently serves on the boards of Cardurion Pharmaceuticals and Life Science Cares in Boston. His academic background includes two BS degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, an MS in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management through its joint program in Biomedical Enterprises with Harvard Medical School.
The announcement extends Strand’s momentum in 2025. In August, the company closed a $153 million Series B round led by Kinnevik and major pharmaceutical investors. Strand also unveiled first-in-human Phase 1 data at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting showing clinical responses in patients with advanced solid tumors who had exhausted other treatment options. With ongoing studies in solid tumors, a new clinical trial slated for mid-2026, and growing efforts in CAR-T therapy, the company continues to demonstrate the potential of its mRNA platform. In early November, Strand promoted Prashant Nambiar, MBA, PhD, to Chief Scientific Officer and appointed Ethan Cash as Senior Vice President of Program Management and Strategy. Together with Keiper’s appointment, these leadership additions position the company to advance key milestones and further integrate genetic medicines into modern therapeutics.
