Next-generation RNA medicines company Borealis Biosciences announced the appointment of Christian Hordo as CEO and a $30 million infusion from an extension of the Series A led by Westlake BioPartners. Plus, the company announced the addition of three new board directors, David Allison, Ph.D., Tom Frohlich, and Catherine Thut, Ph.D.
— Frohlich is CEO of Jade Biosciences. He brings over 20 years of experience in company building, business strategy, and product development. Before Jade, he was COO of Chinook Therapeutics, the predecessor company to Borealis that Novartis acquired for $3.2 billion in 2023.
— Dr. Thut is currently the Therapeutic Area Strategy Head, TAx at Novartis. And she possesses nearly 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, encompassing a diverse range of roles in research, business development, portfolio strategy, and executive leadership.
Borealis was launched on the premise that a convergence of scientific and translational breakthroughs can enable RNA therapeutics to address major unmet needs for patients with kidney diseases. And in August, the company emerged from stealth with $150 million in combined Series A financing from founding investor Versant Ventures and Novartis AG, as well as committed strategic research collaboration funding from the pharma.
With the Series A expansion round, the company has $180 million of capital to advance its programs. Hordo was previously the EVP and Chief Business Officer at Sana Biotechnology, where he was a founding executive team member overseeing multiple strategic and operational functions. Before that, he was Head of Business Development and Myeloma Program Lead at Juno Therapeutics. Before Juno, Hordo served in various roles of increasing responsibility at Genentech. He holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a M.Sc. in Medical Genetics and Microbiology from the University of Toronto, and a B.S. in Psychology from McGill University.
KEY QUOTES:
“On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Christian as CEO and to work again with Westlake. Borealis continues to build momentum in terms of research, new leadership talent, and this recent capital raise.”
- Jerel Davis Ph.D., managing director at Versant and chairperson of Borealis
“I’m honored to lead this world-class team in developing RNA therapies for kidney disease. Borealis is increasingly well-positioned to deliver on the promise of RNAi to make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients and their families. The strength of the team, clarity in strategy, and robust capital position uniquely position Borealis to emerge as a leader in this space.”
- Christian Hordo, who joined as CEO this month
*“Extending precision medicine to renal disease is an exciting new frontier, and we look forward to working alongside this incredible team and syndicate to develop the next generation of RNA therapeutics for patients.” *****
- David Allison, Ph.D., managing director at Westlake who joined Borealis’ board in connection with the Series A expansion
