Spero Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Debra Jeske Zack As Chief Medical Officer To Lead Clinical Development

Spero Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next-generation treatments for immunology and inflammatory diseases, has announced the appointment of Dr. Debra Jeske Zack as its Chief Medical Officer. In her new role, Dr. Zack will lead the company's clinical development strategy and oversee its clinical organisation as Spero advances its immunology programme.

Announcing the appointment, Esther Rajavelu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spero Therapeutics, said Dr. Zack joins the company at a significant time as it begins the clinical development of SP001. She noted that Dr. Zack brings extensive expertise in rheumatology, immunology and autoimmune disease research, along with substantial experience in developing innovative therapies. Rajavelu added that her leadership will play an important role in advancing Spero's clinical strategy and supporting the company's goal of delivering new treatment options for patients with serious unmet medical needs.

Dr. Zack is a board-certified rheumatologist with a Ph.D. in immunology and has built an accomplished career spanning scientific research, clinical development and medical affairs. During her time at Amgen, she served as Global Development Lead for Enbrel while also holding several leadership positions across preclinical research, clinical development and medical affairs, contributing to the advancement of therapies for immune-mediated diseases.

Most recently, Dr. Zack served as Chief Medical Officer at Exagen Inc. Prior to that, she held senior clinical leadership positions at Xencor Inc. and in the Biotherapeutics Development Unit at Novartis, where she gained extensive experience in the development of biologic therapies. Before moving into the biopharmaceutical industry, she spent ten years as an associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she treated patients with rheumatologic conditions while conducting research in molecular immunology.

Dr. Zack earned both her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. She later completed her medical residency and rheumatology fellowship at the UCLA School of Medicine, building a strong foundation in both clinical practice and immunology research.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Zack said she is excited to join Spero Therapeutics during an important stage in the company's development. She highlighted SP001, which targets the CD40 ligand, as a promising immunology programme with the potential to address multiple immune-mediated diseases by regulating both B-cell and T-cell activation. She added that she looks forward to working closely with the Spero team to advance SP001 through clinical development while helping shape a disciplined strategy for the company's future pipeline in immune-mediated diseases.