ElevateBio Taps Christopher Murphy As Chief Executive Officer As Company Enters Next Phase Of Expansion

ElevateBio, a technology-driven company dedicated to enabling the creation of life-transforming genetic medicines, has announced the appointment of Christopher Murphy as its Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. He succeeds Ger Brophy, Ph.D., who has served as interim CEO since May 2025 and will continue with the company as a strategic and technology advisor.

Chris Murphy brings more than 35 years of leadership and operational experience across the biopharmaceutical and manufacturing industries. His background includes a strong blend of expertise in advanced therapeutic development, large-scale manufacturing, commercial operations, and business growth. This combination of skills positions him well to guide ElevateBio through its next phase, which will focus on expanding the business through new and strengthened partnerships.

David Hallal, Executive Chairman of ElevateBio, said that Chris is an ideal choice to lead the company at a time when the genetic medicines sector is entering a major phase of expansion. He noted that Chris’s deep experience in development and large-scale manufacturing will be essential as more partners rely on ElevateBio to support their programs through clinical development and commercialization. Hallal also thanked Ger Brophy for his leadership as interim CEO and welcomed his continued contributions as a strategic advisor.

Before joining ElevateBio, Chris Murphy served as CEO of Akron Bio, where he oversaw a broad transformation that significantly increased the company’s revenue and valuation. Prior to that, he was Chief Operating Officer at Brammer Bio, leading the development and manufacturing of viral vectors and overseeing operations across multiple sites. The success of Brammer Bio’s viral vector business resulted in its acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2019. 

Following the acquisition, Chris was responsible for integration efforts and later served as Vice President and General Manager of Viral Vector Services at Thermo Fisher. Earlier in his career, he spent 16 years at Sanofi Genzyme, where he held a series of leadership roles and was ultimately responsible for managing the company’s manufacturing site for Cerezyme. He holds an M.S. in Biochemistry from New York Medical College and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Rutgers University.

Chris Murphy said he is honored to take on the role of CEO at ElevateBio, noting that the company has established itself as a leader in advanced therapies with a strong mission and a solid foundation. He explained that ElevateBio’s integrated capabilities across genetic medicine design, development, and manufacturing place it in a unique position to help the cell and gene therapy field progress from emerging science to maturity. 

His goals include expanding partnerships across ElevateBio’s manufacturing services and gene editing platform, industrializing processes, and setting new industry standards that ultimately improve the lives of patients and their families. This leadership transition marks a significant step for ElevateBio as it advances its mission and prepares for continued growth within the rapidly evolving genetic medicine landscape.