Coave Therapeutics Strengthens U.S. Presence with Strategic Appointment of Romain Pettenaro as VP of Business Development

​Coave Therapeutics, a Paris-based biotech firm specializing in genetic medicines, has announced the appointment of Romain Pettenaro as Vice President of Business Development. Based in Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Pettenaro will spearhead Coave's business development and partnering strategies, focusing on strategic collaborations to advance the company's proprietary ALIGATER™ (Advanced Vectors-Ligand Conjugates) platform. ​

Pettenaro brings extensive experience in gene therapy dealmaking, having previously held senior roles at Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, where he led significant transactions, including a $1 billion AAV gene therapy portfolio purchase and licensing agreement targeting rare cardiovascular and neurological diseases. His background also includes M&A and corporate development at LogicBio Therapeutics, where he supported the company's acquisition by Alexion and multiple licensing partnerships. ​

Coave's CEO, Rodolphe Clerval, stated that Pettenaro's appointment is a strategic move to establish a presence in the U.S., particularly in the Boston biotech hub, a key area for innovation in genetic medicine. Pettenaro expressed enthusiasm about joining Coave, stating that the company's ALIGATER™ platform and targeted AAV approach offer a promising strategy for addressing unmet needs in CNS and ocular diseases.