BPGbio Strengthens Leadership With The Reappointment Of NAi Interrogative Biology® Platform Co-Inventor Slava Akmaev, Ph.D., As COO & Chief AI Officer

BPGbio Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that uses an AI-powered, biology-first approach with a focus on mitochondrial biology and protein homeostasis, announced that Slava Akmaev, Ph.D., has rejoined the company as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief AI Officer. Dr. Akmaev, a seasoned AI-biotech leader and co-inventor of BPGbio’s proprietary NAi® (Interrogative Biology®) platform, has played a key role in the company’s innovative progress. Together with CEO Dr. Niven R. Narain, he developed the industry’s first fully integrated AI-based drug discovery platform in 2012, which has fueled BPGbio’s current advanced-stage pipeline.

In his new role, Dr. Akmaev will focus on expanding and strengthening BPGbio’s leadership in AI and mitochondrial medicine. He will oversee operational excellence as the company advances its late-stage clinical pipeline toward potential FDA approvals and will help cultivate and execute strategic biopharma partnerships and transactions. His expertise will also support the continued development of Bayesian causal AI models that power the NAi platform, enabling the discovery of next-generation targets in oncology, central nervous system disorders, and rare inflammatory diseases.

Slava stated, “I’m honored and excited to return to BPGbio, an organization whose leadership, mission and way of working I know firsthand and have deep admiration for! I’m impressed by the significant progress the BPGbio team has made in the last few years on the company’s lead drug candidate BPM31510, particularly in Primary CoQ10 Deficiency (PCQD) and Glioblastoma (GBM). Those milestones are a testament to the power of BPGbio’s biology-first causal AI and I’m thrilled to work with commercial partners in NAi applications to make discovery and development faster, more precise, and more cost-effective.”

Niven R. Narain, Ph.D., President and CEO, BPGbio, mentioned, “I am thrilled to welcome back both a friend and colleague. Slava and I pioneered a new era of medical science and technology that produced a promising pipeline and now to have him come back to help us cross the finish line is an honor and privilege. As we advance toward late-stage development and commercialization of our PCQD and GBM programs it is perfect timing to welcome Slava back to BPGbio. Slava is uniquely positioned to unlock more of NAi’s potential while strengthening day-to-day operations as COO, accelerating our pipeline, partnerships, and path to market.”

Dr. Akmaev first joined BPGbio, then known as BERG, in 2011 as one of its earliest employees, where he led the development of the AI analytics that became the foundation of NAi. Most recently, he was Chief Technology Officer at Scipher Medicine, where he developed and launched PrismRA®, the first precision-medicine diagnostic test for rheumatoid arthritis. A trained mathematician, Dr. Akmaev earned his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 2000, has co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, and is an inventor on 17 issued U.S. patents.