BRIEF—Vividion Therapeutics recruits new R&D head

Bayer subsidiary Vividion Therapeutics has appointed Aleksandra Rizo as president and head of R&D.

Dr Rizo joins Vividion from Geron Corporation, where she was chief medical officer. She was formerly an executive director at Celgene and has held a number of oncology drug development functions at Janssen.

Vividion is developing precision medicines for cancer and immune disorders, and is aiming to advance multiple candidates into the clinic in 2023.

Dr Rizo said the company’s programs are “nearly all targeting proteins the industry has previously viewed as undruggable and indicate the potential to deliver enormous value to patients if successful.”

She added: “I am also intrigued by the innovative business model established with Bayer that allows us to operate largely autonomously and independently but with the technical expertise and financial stability of a major pharmaceutical company.”