Hansa Biopharma has announced that Hitto Kaufmann has been appointed as Hansa’s Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) effective 1 December 2023.
As CSO, Kaufmann will be responsible for all research, early development, translational and manufacturing activities. He will report to President & Chief Executive Officer Søren Tulstrup and serve as a member of Hansa’s Executive Committee.
“We are thrilled to welcome Hitto to Hansa at this pivotal time. With over 20 years’ experience in research, development, and advancement of science, he is poised to lead the development of our scientific platform and advancement of our pipeline of exciting drug candidates for rare immunologic diseases and conditions. Hitto has a proven track record of developing innovative medicines, advancing strategic R&D partnerships, and building next generation therapeutic platforms. He has previously demonstrated an ability to build and lead high-performing teams in both large pharma and small biotech organizations,” says Søren Tulstrup, President and CEO, Hansa Biopharma.
Hitto Kaufmann
Hitto Kaufmann joins Hansa from Pieris Pharmaceuticals where he has served as Chief Scientific Officer since 2019. He led the company’s R&D platform developing innovative next generation protein therapeutics leading to regulatory submissions across several indications. He played an integral role in transforming the company’s operational excellence including accelerated development paths, machine-learning driven R&D and reliable high-performance manufacturing as well as delivery.
Prior to joining Pieris, he spent five years at Sanofi, where he held several executive positions in Industrial Affairs and R&D. Before his tenure at Sanofi, Dr. Kaufmann spent more than a decade at Boehringer Ingelheim, and prior to his departure was the Vice President of Process Sciences in the Biopharmaceuticals division. He began his career as a Research Scientist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne.
Dr. Kaufmann received his Ph.D. in Natural Science, focusing on cell culture technology, at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. He earned his Master of Science degree in biotechnology from the Technical University of Braunschweig and the Scripps Research Institute.
“I am thrilled to build on the great work that has positioned Hansa as one of the most promising mid-stage biotech companies. Hansa has cutting-edge science – specifically its unique versatile IgG antibody cleaving enzyme platform – that will help deliver better patient outcomes in areas of high unmet need. I look forward to joining a team of diverse, talented people and to working across the company to develop and deliver lifesaving and life-altering medicines,” says Hitto Kaufmann.
Photo: iStock
