Lycera appoints Paul Sekhri as president and chief executive

Closely-held USA-based drug developer Lycera has appointed Paul Sekhri as president and chief executive. He brings more than 25 years of operational experience in life science, and succeeds Kathleen Metters, who now serves as senior advisor to the company.

Steven Gillis, Lycera’s chairman, said: “Paul is an energetic and successful leader with a proven track record in the life sciences. His broad industry perspective will be essential as Lycera transitions to a clinical-stage company advancing multiple programs, including its lead candidate in autoimmune disease, which is anticipated to enter the clinic later this quarter. We are grateful to Kathleen for her significant achievements during her tenure as CEO and look forward to her continued contributions as Lycera advances internal programs into the clinic."

Mr Sekhri joins the company from French pharma major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN), where he was senior vice president of integrated care. Prior to this, he held positions at Israel-headquartered Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE: TEVA).