SAN FRANCISCO– Rubedo Life Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing first-in-class therapies targeting senescent cells which drive age-related diseases, today announced the appointment of Frederick C. Beddingfield III, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer and board director. He succeeds Rubedo founder Marco Quarta, Ph.D., who will transition to the role of Chief Scientific Officer, and will remain on the Board of Directors.
The appointment follows Rubedo’s recent $40M Series A financing round announced in April 2024, led by Khosla Ventures and Ahren Innovation Capital, and others. The company recently announced its European expansion ahead of its first clinical trial, and additional investment from CDP Venture Capital.
Dr. Beddingfield is a physician-scientist and serial biotechnology entrepreneur, and brings more than 20 years of life sciences leadership to Rubedo. He was founder, president, chief executive and member of the board of directors of Sienna Biopharmaceuticals and took the company public in 2017, and previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Allergan for $2.1 billion.
His tenure at Allergan spanned more than a decade, where he held multiple senior roles, including Therapeutic Area Head of Dermatology and Chief Medical Officer of Allergan Medical. He led the development and approval of many globally recognized brands across medical dermatology, aesthetics, neurology, and metabolic therapies. These brands include Botox® (for cosmetic, hyperhidrosis, and spasticity indications), Juvederm®, Voluma®, Kybella®, Latisse®, Aczone®, and Tazorac®. He was most recently executive partner at Apollo Health Ventures, focusing on biotechnology start-ups in longevity and age-related diseases. Prior to Apollo, he served as the chief executive officer and as a director of Kira Pharmaceuticals.
“I’m honored to join Rubedo and lead its efforts to bring novel therapies to patients suffering from chronic diseases driven by cellular aging,” said Dr. Beddingfield. “With our proprietary ALEMBIC™ platform and an exceptional team, we are well-positioned to advance our pipeline products in the field of cellular senescence into first-in-class therapies for skin conditions and aging where senescent cells play a critical role. Our Phase 1 trial of RLS-1496 which we expect to initiate early next year is an exciting first step in translating our expertise in aging biology into therapies addressing high unmet needs.”
“Frederick’s experience as a successful biotechnology entrepreneur in inflammation, his impressive track record in commercializing dermatology products, and his unique expertise with the venture capital landscape in the emerging longevity field make him an ideal leader for Rubedo as we move into our next phase of growth,” said Dr. Quarta. “His strategic vision, background in both scientific innovation and company-expansion, and success navigating both the private and public markets are invaluable as we chart the course to improve health outcomes for patients with age-related diseases.”
Dr. Beddingfield completed his medical degree with honors at UNC Chapel Hill, his residency and fellowship training at UCLA, and his Ph.D. in Policy Analysis Research at RAND. He serves on the board of directors of Cytrellis Biosystems, serves as chairman of the board of Sagesse Bio, and serves on the medical advisory board of the Children’s Skin Disease Foundation and Camp Wonder. He is the director and co-founder of the Dermatology Summit and Dermatology Innovation Forum conferences and a trustee of the non-profit organization Advancing Innovation in Dermatology.
