CGT Catapult Nabs GSK Cell and Gene Therapy CSO

Rare Daily Staff

CGT Catapult said Jonathan Appleby, the chief scientific officer for Cell and Gene Therapy at the GSK Rare Diseases Unit, will join CGT Catapult as its CSO effective October 1, 2018.

Appleby replaces Johan Hyllner, CGT’s first CSO, who recently retired.

At GSK, Appleby served as the medicines development leader for Strimvelis, the first autologous ex vivo CD34 stem cell gene therapy to gain E.U. Marketing approval. Orchard Therapeutics recently acquired Strimvelis as part of its acquisition of GSK’s gene therapy portfolio.

“With over twenty years of experience in R&D, Jonathan has both commercialization and drug development expertise,” said Keith Thompson, CEO, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult. “He has worked in all phases of drug development from target identification through to phase IV in a broad range of therapeutic areas and shares our vision for the UK to be a global leader in the development and commercialization of cell and gene therapy treatments.”

Appleby brings decades of industry experience in cell and gene therapies and drug development to CGT Catapult. Prior to joining GSK’s rare diseases unit, Appleby was project leader and portfolio manager at the GSK Centre of Excellence for External Drug Development.
In this role, he discovered, in-licensed and developed new technologies and assets with SME companies across a broad range of therapeutic areas.

Appleby graduated from the University of Leeds with an honors degree in Genetics and a Ph.D. from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

June 7, 2018
Photo Jonathan Appleby, newly appointed CSO for CGT Catapult