Sethera Therapeutics Strengthens Scientific Advisory Board With Renowned Leaders Jeffery Kelly And Alexander Klibanov To Advance Peptide Therapeutics

Sethera Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on next-generation polymacrocyclic peptide therapeutics, announced the appointment of two world-renowned scientists, Jeffery W. Kelly, PhD of Scripps Research, and Alexander M. Klibanov, PhD of MIT, to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). They join Dr. Robert Langer of MIT, further strengthening Sethera’s scientific leadership.

Dr. Kelly, the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Chemistry at Scripps Research, is a pioneer in protein folding and proteostasis. He is best known for uncovering the molecular basis of transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis and leading the discovery of tafamidis (Vyndaqel), the first disease-modifying TTR stabilizer. His expertise will guide Sethera in translating conformationally constrained macrocyclic peptide designs into meaningful therapies for complex diseases.

“Sethera’s platform sits at the nexus of structure and function. Dr. Kelly’s leadership in proteostasis and chemical biology, combined with Dr. Klibanov’s innovations in enzymatic engineering and formulation, directly align with our mission to transform polymacrocyclic peptide architectures into first-in-class therapeutics for historically intractable targets,” said Karsten Eastman, PhD, Co-founder and CEO of Sethera Therapeutics. 

Dr. Klibanov, Novartis Professor of Chemistry (Emeritus) at MIT, is recognized globally for his work in enzyme catalysis, protein formulation, and antimicrobial materials. A member of both the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, he has significantly advanced the stabilization and delivery of protein-based therapeutics. At Sethera, his insights will help advance enzymatically engineered peptide candidates toward clinical development.