BrainStorm lures Biogen exec to its top management team

USA/Israel-based biotech firm BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (Nasdaq: BCLI) has appointed Ralph Kern to the positions of chief operating and chief medical officer, effective March 6, 2017.

Dr Kern joins BrainStorm from US biotech major Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB), where he has been senior vice president and head of worldwide medical. His previous industry appointments include head of the Neuroscience Medical Unit at Novartis and global medical director of personalized genetic health at Genzyme.

"We are very excited to have Dr Kern join our company as we advance our ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis] clinical program and prepare for the start of Phase III testing of NurOwn," said Chaim Lebovits, president and chief executive of BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics. "Dr Kern brings to our company a unique combination of program management skills and medical expertise in neuroscience from his tenure as a successful corporate executive at Biogen, Novartis and Genzyme and an effective educator and ALS patient advocate from his service as neurology program director at the University of Toronto. We are very fortunate to have someone of his caliber and record of achievement join our team," Mr Lebovits added.