AI-Powered Immune Mapping Company Appoints Ex-Pfizer R&D Chief to Its Board

Immunai has appointed Mikael Dolsten, M.D., Ph.D., former Chief Scientific Officer and President of Research & Development at Pfizer, to its Board of Directors. Dolsten spent 15 years at Pfizer, where he oversaw research across multiple therapeutic areas and was involved in the development of more than 35 approved drugs and vaccines, including the first mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine.

Before joining Pfizer in 2009, Dolsten held leadership positions at Wyeth, Boehringer Ingelheim, and AstraZeneca, where he led global R&D efforts and contributed to drug discovery. Over his career, he has been involved in the selection of around 200 drug candidates and the advancement of up to 50 regulatory approvals.

Immunai develops AI-based models of the immune system, applying machine learning to single-cell genomics for drug discovery and clinical development. Dolsten, who has previously collaborated with Immunai, will support the company’s work in immunology and oncology research.

See also: Applying Artificial Intelligence And Bioinformatics To Create Complete Picture Of Immune System

Immunai describes its platform as an AI-driven, end-to-end system that integrates single-cell multiomics with preclinical and clinical data to generate insights for drug discovery and development. The company states that its immune cell atlas, AMICA, is the largest annotated single-cell immune database, containing data from clinical and preclinical sources across more than 300,000 patient samples. The Immunodynamics Engine (IDE) is designed to analyze immune features linked to therapeutic response, providing structured recommendations for drug development decisions. The company applies its technology in target discovery, preclinical evaluation, and clinical trial optimization.

Dolsten’s appointment follows Immunai’s multi-year collaborations with AstraZeneca and Teva Pharmaceuticals, where its platform has been used in areas such as biomarker discovery, dose selection, and predicting patient responses.

Founded in 2018, Immunai has raised nearly $270 million in funding, including a $215 million Series B round in 2021. The company has also expanded through acquisitions, including Dropprint Genomics and Nebion, to strengthen its immune profiling and bioinformatics capabilities. Immunai reports that it has around 30 partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, and Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Topics: Startups & Deals