Xaira Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team and Moves to New Headquarters
Xaira Therapeutics, an integrated biotechnology company focused on leveraging AI to transform drug discovery and development, announced two key appointments to its leadership team. Dr. Paulo Fontoura will join as Chief Medical Officer (effective early 2025), and co-founder Dr. Hetu Kamisetty will take on the role of Chief Technology Officer immediately. These appointments signify Xaira's ongoing commitment to innovation and growth in the biotech industry.
Dr. Paulo Fontoura, Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Fontoura brings over 16 years of experience from Roche, where he was Senior Vice President leading translational medicine and clinical development across various therapeutic areas, including neuroscience, immunology, and rare diseases. During his tenure, Dr. Fontoura contributed to the development and approval of several breakthrough therapies, such as:
- The first Multiple Sclerosis drug for both relapsing and primary progressive forms.
- The first gene therapy for Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy.
- Regulatory-validated digital endpoints in neuromuscular disorders.
Dr. Fontoura’s expertise in translational medicine, digital health, and AI-enabled clinical development aligns with Xaira’s mission. His academic background includes an MD and PhD in Neuroimmunology, with significant contributions to neuroscience and novel therapeutic approaches.
Dr. Hetu Kamisetty, Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Kamisetty, a co-founder of Xaira, has played an instrumental role in scaling the company since its inception in 2023. With about 20 years of experience in artificial intelligence, Dr. Kamisetty was previously at Meta, where he led initiatives in Generative AI. His academic track includes a PhD in Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon University, with research focused on probabilistic models of proteins.
At Xaira, Dr. Kamisetty is leading the development of AI models for drug discovery, with a focus on addressing unmet clinical needs. His work aligns with Xaira's goals to combine AI-driven chemistry with advanced biological understanding to develop transformative therapies.
New Headquarters
Xaira will also relocate its headquarters to the Gateway of Pacific III campus in South San Francisco’s biotech hub.
Gateway of Pacific III building; Image: BioMed Reality
Marc Tessier-Lavigne, CEO of Xaira, commented:
“The appointments of Paulo and Hetu mark an important new chapter for Xaira as we grow our leadership team and deepen our expertise across key scientific and technical areas. Their experience and insight will be invaluable as we continue to advance our mission of leveraging AI to transform drug discovery.”
Xaira Therapeutics is reimagining the drug discovery process by integrating advancements in machine learning, data generation, and therapeutic development. Following a landmark year, including the Nobel Prize recognition of co-founder Dr. David Baker, Xaira is positioned at the forefront of biotech innovation.
Topics: Startups & Deals
