Attovia Therapeutics Appoints Biotech Finance Leader John Smither To Its Board Of Directors

Attovia Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation biologic therapies for immune-mediated diseases with significant unmet medical needs, has announced the appointment of John W. Smither to its Board of Directors. He will serve as an independent director and will also take on the role of Chair of the company's Audit Committee.

The appointment brings extensive financial and operational leadership to Attovia as the company continues advancing its pipeline of novel biotherapeutics and prepares for future growth. According to the company, Smither's experience in guiding biotechnology companies through critical stages of development, including product approvals, commercial launches, and financial strategy, will help support Attovia's long-term objectives.

Tao Fu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Attovia Therapeutics, welcomed Smither to the Board and said his broad experience as Chief Financial Officer at both public and private biotechnology companies makes him a valuable addition. Fu noted that Smither has consistently demonstrated strong financial leadership, operational expertise, and strategic decision-making throughout his career, qualities that will be important as Attovia progresses its clinical programs and enters its next phase of development.

John W. Smither currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of MBX Biosciences and is also a senior advisor to Frazier Life Sciences. Throughout his career, he has held Chief Financial Officer or interim Chief Financial Officer positions at several biotechnology companies, including Arcutis Biotherapeutics. His experience spans corporate finance, business strategy, capital markets, and operational management across multiple stages of biotechnology company growth.

In addition to his executive responsibilities, Smither has extensive experience serving on corporate boards. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of NewAmsterdam Pharma, where he serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Genelux Corporation, where he chairs the Compensation Committee and is a member of the Audit Committee. Previously, he served on the boards of eFFECTOR Therapeutics and Applied Molecular Transport, where he also chaired the Audit Committee. Smither earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

Commenting on his appointment, Smither said he is excited to join Attovia's Board during an important period in the company's development. He noted that Attovia has built a differentiated technology platform and a promising pipeline with significant potential. He added that he looks forward to working closely with Tao Fu, the executive leadership team, and fellow Board members to support the company's continued growth, maintain strong financial discipline, and strengthen corporate governance as it advances toward its next stage.

Alongside the appointment, Attovia also announced that Dr. Yuling Luo, one of the company's co-founders and a member of its Board of Directors, will be stepping down from his Board position.

Tao Fu thanked Dr. Luo for his important contributions to the company since its founding. He highlighted Dr. Luo's role as the inventor of Attovia's proprietary ATTOBODY™ technology, which serves as the foundation of the company's therapeutic platform. Fu also credited Dr. Luo with helping shape the scientific direction of Attovia through his leadership and the company's collaboration with Alamar Biosciences. While stepping down from the Board, Dr. Luo will continue to support Attovia through its ongoing partnership with Alamar Biosciences, whose ultra-sensitive biomarker assay technology remains an important part of the company's research and development efforts.