BASEL, Switzerland, May 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anaveon, a late-stage biotechnology company pioneering precision biologics to reprogram the immune system for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced the appointment of Thomas P. Mathers as Chair of its Board of Directors. His appointment will be confirmed in the upcoming Annual General Meeting in June. Dieter Weinand, who served as Chair since 2024, has stepped down from the Board.
Mr. Mathers brings over 32 years of distinguished executive leadership in the life sciences sector, with a proven track record in company building, capital raising, public market transitions, and strategic value creation. As a Partner at Pappas Capital and Executive Chairman of Aer Therapeutics, he is widely recognized for his expertise in advancing innovative therapies from discovery through commercialization.
"We are thrilled to welcome Tom as Chair of Anaveon's Board at this pivotal moment," said Thaminda Ramanayake, Chief Executive Officer of Anaveon. "His exceptional experience in scaling biotechnology companies, securing substantial financing, and navigating complex regulatory and commercial landscapes will be invaluable as we advance our lead immunology programs into clinical development and expand our pipeline of novel drug candidates. We are deeply grateful to Dieter Weinand for his dedicated service and strategic guidance during a critical foundational period and wish him continued success."
"I am honored to join Anaveon as Chair of the Board," said Thomas P. Mathers. "The company's innovative approach to selectively modulating immune pathways has tremendous potential to deliver transformative therapies for patients with significant unmet needs in autoimmune diseases. I look forward to partnering with Thaminda, the executive team, and the Board to accelerate growth, strengthen strategic execution, and realize Anaveon's vision of reshaping immune-mediated disease treatment."
Leadership in Action: Thomas P. Mathers' Track Record
Mr. Mathers currently serves as Executive Chairman (and Interim CEO) of Aer Therapeutics, developing novel therapies for serious airway diseases, and as Vice Chairman of Certa Therapeutics, focused on fibrosis treatments. He is also Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), where he actively shapes advocacy, regulatory policy, capital formation, bioethics, and intellectual property initiatives. He additionally serves on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses.
In 2019, he founded Allievex Corp., a clinical-stage company developing therapies for neuronopathic lysosomal storage diseases such as Sanfilippo Syndrome. He led the company as President, CEO, and Director until its acquisition by Spruce Biosciences in 2024. Previously, as President and CEO of CoLucid Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CLCD), he advanced lasmiditan for acute migraine treatment through key development milestones, culminating in its acquisition by Eli Lilly in 2017 for nearly $1 billion.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Mathers held senior leadership roles at Peptimmune, Cell Based Delivery, Cardion AG, and Genzyme Corporation. He holds a B.S. in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point (1988), where he played varsity football. He served as a Captain and AH-64 Apache helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army during the Gulf War, earning multiple military honors.
ENDS
Media contact:
Benz Advisory
Beatrix Benz
Email: beatrix.benz@anaveon.com
Tel: +41 79 256 77 73
About Anaveon:
Anaveon AG is a late-stage preclinical biotechnology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland focused on developing next-generation precision biologics that target central regulatory nodes of the immune system. The company's engineered antibodies and cytokine-based therapies aim to selectively eliminate or reprogram pathogenic immune cells, restoring durable immune balance in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
For more information, visit anaveon.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9898afec-1c88-4bf2-9791-582f5321195b
