Woburn, Mass.–Â Javelin Biotech, a leader in human-centric preclinical drug discovery, has appointed Dr. Robin Robinson to its Board of Directors, effective February 2025. The move comes as the biopharmaceutical industry continues pivoting away from traditional animal testing in favor of advanced, human-based research models.
Dr. Robinson, a veteran in vaccine development and public health preparedness, previously served as Vaccine Director at Novavax and was the founding director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). He currently serves as CEO of Esperovax. His appointment is seen as a strategic step as Javelin positions itself at the forefront of non-animal methods (NAMs) in drug development.
“Robin brings decades of scientific and leadership expertise from across government, academia, and industry,” said Auro Nair, Executive Chairman of Javelin. “His deep understanding of NAMs and public health innovation will be a tremendous asset as we expand the clinical relevance and scalability of our platform.”
Javelin’s announcement follows the passage of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, which removes the mandate for animal testing in certain drug approvals and paves the way for broader adoption of human-specific technologies. The company’s platform integrates human tissue chips and digital twin simulations to better predict patient responses and reduce costly preclinical failures.
“We’re entering a transformative era in drug development,” said Murat Cirit, PhD, CEO of Javelin. “Dr. Robinson’s guidance will help us deliver on our mission to develop safer, more effective therapies using models that reflect human biology from the very beginning.”
Javelin’s expanded board now includes Robinson alongside Nair, Cirit, Innospark Ventures’ Managing Director Venkat Srinivasan, and generic drug pioneer Jane Hirsh. Together, the board brings a strong mix of experience in biotech innovation, strategic growth, and regulatory science.
As pharmaceutical companies increasingly explore precision medicine—including gene editing, nucleotide-based therapeutics, and antibody-drug conjugates—Javelin aims to lead the charge with its predictive, patient-focused approach to preclinical research.
