Expected to succeed Dr. Ulrich Köstlin who has notified Newron of his intention to retire after 12 years of service as Chairman of its Board of Directors, effective following completion of this year’s AGM
Chris Martin, former CEO of ADC Therapeutics, will be proposed for election as Independent Non-Executive Director and new Chairman of the Board of Directors at Newron’s upcoming AGM
Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR
Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. (“Newron”) (SIX: NWRN, XETRA: NP5), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, today announced that its Board of Directors has identified Chris Martin, DPhil, as a potential Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board and will propose him for election at Newron’s upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held on April 23, 2025, in Bresso (Mi), Italy. Martin is an accomplished public and private company director with deep expertise in commercial drug development and a proven track record in founding and leading successful biopharma companies. He is expected to succeed Ulrich Köstlin, who has served as Chairman of the Board since 2013. Köstlin will end his board service following the completion of this year’s AGM.
Dr. Chris Martin is a recognized leader in the biopharma industry who has taken therapeutic technology from the lab bench through to regulatory approval and global market sales. Over his career, he has raised more than $1.4 billion on the capital markets to support the development of his companies. He was instrumental in co-founding ADC Therapeutics in 2012 and served as its CEO from its inception until 2022. Under his tenure, the Swiss-based ADC Therapeutics grew from a private biotech start-up to a New York Stock Exchange listed leader in the field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) with products marketed worldwide. He co-founded and was the CEO of Spirogen Ltd, an innovator of ADC payload technology, which was subsequently sold to AstraZeneca for a total of up to $440 million. Currently chairing the boards of MyricxBio, Tagworks, Tokamak Energy Ltd. and serving on the boards of Osivax SAS, Solcom Ltd. and Senya therapeutics (all private companies), Chris Martin holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Aston University, a DPhil in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford, and an MBA from IMD Business School. He is a British citizen and lives in Switzerland.
“Chris has successfully guided the development of blockbuster therapies from discovery to approval and commercialization,” said Ulrich Köstlin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Newron. “I am confident his expertise and vision will be invaluable as we advance our Phase III schizophrenia asset, evenamide, and I know he shares our excitement for its potential.”
“Newron’s future is bright and in the best of hands,” continued Köstlin. “With that assurance, I am gratified to be able to announce today my intention to retire, effective after the upcoming AGM. I am proud of my fellow directors, our CEO Stefan Weber, and our outstanding management team who have led Newron to renewed strength and promise.”
“I am honored and excited to be the proposed candidate for the Chairman of the Board during this important time for Newron,” said Chris Martin, DPhil. “I look forward to collaborating with the executive team and my fellow board members to advance Newron’s strategy and help bring life-changing therapies to patients worldwide.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to Newron. His experience and insights will be of enormous value as we build upon our progress in the coming years,” said Stefan Weber, CEO and Executive Director of Newron. “I also want to express my sincere thanks to Ulrich for his many years of board service and stewardship and his unwavering support in the challenging environment in which we operate, all of which has been of great value to Newron and its shareholders, and to me personally as CEO. On behalf of the entire team at Newron, we wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement.”
Martin would be the third Independent Non-Executive Director nominated within the last 24 months to Newron’s Board, which now constitutes the majority of its five Non-Executive Directors.
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