Rallybio is a privately-held, development-stage biotechnology company focused on bringing life-transforming medicines to patients with devastating and rare disorders. The company is built around a seasoned team of biopharma industry leaders with extensive research, development, and business experience.
With offices located in the University of Connecticut’s Technology Incubation Program campus, Rallybio is continuing its extensive drug acquisition and development activities. The company has built an impressive team uniquely capable of effectively identifying, attaining and developing assets that are aligned with Rallybio’s mission. The team is working tenaciously to continue expanding and advancing its pipeline of therapies that will transform the lives of patients with severe and rare disorders.
Named as one of the “Fierce 15” Biotech Companies of 2018, Rallybio was recognized by FierceBiotech as among “the most promising private biotech startups”. Rallybio has secured $37.0 million in Series A funding with lead financing from 5AM Ventures, Canaan Partners, and New Leaf Venture Partners, and additional public-sector participation from Connecticut Innovations.
Rallybio Team
Founded by seasoned biopharma industry leaders with extensive research, development, and business experience, Rallybio has built an impressive team uniquely capable of effectively identifying, attaining and developing assets that are aligned with Rallybio’s mission.
Ann has more than 24 years of experience
in drug discovery, development and project management expertise, including
leadership positions at Inozyme Pharma and Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Ann has
also held senior positions with increasing responsibility in project, portfolio
management and therapeutic area strategy at Bristol Myers-Squibb and Pfizer,
driving the delivery of medicines in all phases of development across a range
of therapeutic areas. Ann is a Certified
Project Management Professional. She received her M.A. in molecular biology
and biochemistry from Wesleyan University. She also holds a B.S. in biology and
a B.A. in chemistry from Providence College.
When I’m not working I’m taking photos, listening to music (U2), being a good dog mom to Max and Ruby, and enjoying time with my family
Last concert I attended was Our Lady Peace/Bush/Live, and the one before that was U2 of course.
My greatest non-work accomplishment Raising 3 kids, Tim, Abby and Samantha who are now smart, successful, funny and kind young adults
Favorite sports team NY Yankees!
I grew up in Smithfield, RI
Eric Watsky, MD
Having held executive positions in pharmaceutical research and development, Eric also has extensive experience in patient care and academic research. Prior to joining Rallybio, Eric served as Vice President, Global Development Team Leader for Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and Executive Director in Pfizer’s Specialty Care Business Unit focused on rare disease indications. He was also Senior Staff Research Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health. Eric received his MD from Boston University and has taught at the medical schools of Harvard, where he was Chief Resident in Psychopharmacology, and George Washington University.
My dream vacation Acadia National Park
When I’m not working, I’m… On the water
My favorite city to visit New York
Last concert I attended was New York Philharmonic
I grew up in New York
Haren Vasavada, PhD
Dr. Vasavada has more than 25 years of experience as a scientist, manager, and R&D leadership team member in the areas of biopharmaceuticals, small molecule therapeutics, and research technologies. Prior to joining Rallybio, he served as the Head of New Targets and Therapeutics at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and Vice President, Process Science at Optherion, Inc. He began his career in the biopharmaceutical industry at Bayer, Inc., where he rose to the position of Director of Research, Department of Research Technologies, advancing a both small molecule and biologic drug candidates into product development. Before his industry career, Dr. Vasavada was an associate research scientist in Yale University’s Department of Human Genetics. He received his PhD from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and did his postdoctoral work at Yale University.
When I’m not working, I’m Spending time with family & taking long walks
I cannot live without Indian food
My favorite city to visit My hometown, Junagadh
Favorite sports team Indian cricket team
My greatest non-work accomplishment Yet to come
Jeffrey Fryer, CPA
Jeff is a co-founder of Rallybio and has more than 25 years of experience
in business finance and the economics of operations, as well as corporate
strategy and taxation. He has held
leadership roles at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Chemtura Corporation, and Lydall,
and began his career in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He earned a Master of Science in taxation
from the University of Hartford and a Bachelor of Science in business administration
with a concentration in accounting from Bryant University. He is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council
for the Bryant University School of Business.
My dream vacation A trip on a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station
My favorite book/magazine is Guess How Much I love You by Sam McBratney – my favorite book to read to my two boys when they were little. Now that they’re all grown up, anything from John Locke
When I’m not working, I’m… Never sitting still. I enjoy biking, skiing, boating, taking pictures, and even some acting now and then – maybe you’ve seen me on TV!
My favorite city to visit Lausanne, Switzerland
My greatest non-work accomplishment Being a dad to two amazing guys who make me smile every day
Laura Ekas, PhD
Laura has more than 10 years of experience in the biotech industry. Her broad background includes experience in global pricing and reimbursement, corporate operations and investor relations at Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Prior to her time at Alexion, Laura spent time in healthcare strategy consulting and also held positions of increasing responsibility at Canaccord Genuity Group, including Vice President, Biotech Equity Research. She has a PhD in pharmacology and signal transduction from New York University, School of Medicine and a B.A. in behavioral biology from Johns Hopkins University.
When I’m not working, I’m… Working out or playing with my identical twins, Adeline and Juliet
My favorite city to visit Rome
My favorite charity The Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG Foundation
I grew up in Vienna, Virginia, but I’m a New Yorker at heart
My greatest non-work accomplishment I played Division I women’s lacrosse at Johns Hopkins University, and served as co-captain, despite having never played before college
Martin Mackay, PhD
Martin is a co-founder of Rallybio, and has worked in pharmaceutical and biotech R&D for more than 30 years, holding leadership roles at companies including Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Alexion. Martin obtained a First Class Honours Degree in microbiology from Heriot-Watt University and his PhD in molecular genetics from the University of Edinburgh. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Charles River Laboratories and Novo Nordisk, and is a Senior Advisor at New Leaf Ventures. Martin summarizes the three loves in his life as being family, work, and soccer, but not necessarily in that order.
When I’m not working, I’m… Playing soccer, boating, ballroom dancing, training our German Shepard puppy, hanging with my grandson Charlie.
My favorite charity Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation
Favorite sports team Heart of Midlothian Football Club
I grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland
My greatest non-work accomplishment Still playing competitive soccer at 63
Steve Ryder, MD
Steve has more than 30 years of leadership experience in global healthcare development and a proven track record in the rare disorders space. Prior to joining Rallybio, Steve served as Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, where he led the global development, registration, and approval of new drug candidates for rare diseases, and contributed to the overall growth of the company. Previously, he was founding President, Astellas Pharma Global Development, and spent 21 years in development at Pfizer. Steve received his MD from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
My dream vacation two weeks anywhere with my family
My favorite book/magazine is The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
My favorite city to visit Seattle, WA and Charlotte, NC (a tie)
Favorite sports team New York Yankees
I grew up in Valley Stream, Long Island
Steve Uden, MD
Steve is a co-founder of Rallybio. He has more than 25
years of experience, serving in R&D leadership roles with prominent global
pharmaceutical and biotech firms. Steve
was previously head of research at Alexion Pharmaceuticals where he led a
series of collaborations and external alliances, expanded its research base
beyond antibodies to include small molecules, RNA-based therapies and broader
protein engineering capabilities. Prior to Alexion, Steve led research
and development groups in Japan for Wyeth and Novartis Oncology, and held
positions of increasing responsibility at Pfizer in the U.K., Japan, and the U.S. Steve
received his medical training at the University of London’s St. Thomas’
Hospital Medical School, and then practiced clinical and academic medicine
within the U.K. National Health Service and the University of Manchester U.K.
My dream vacation Diving in Truk Lagoon
I cannot live without Getting outdoors
My favorite animal Jack Russell Terriers
My favorite charity RNLI – Royal National Lifeboat Institution
My greatest non-work accomplishment 21 years’ service in UK Army Reserve (though it was sort of a job)
Zubin Bhagwagar, MD, PhD
Zubin is a physician scientist with more than 25 years of experience in academia and the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Rallybio, Zubin was Vice President External Innovation at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and led the Strategic Evaluation team in Business Development. He previously held positions of increasing responsibility at Bristol-Myers Squibb, where he worked in multiple therapeutic areas including neuroscience and clinical pharmacology. Zubin received his medical degree and completed his first psychiatry residency at Delhi University; he subsequently completed clinical training in psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of Oxford, where he was awarded a D.Phil (PhD) in neuroimaging and neurobiology. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, U.K., has authored more than 80 papers in neuroscience/psychiatry and has been on the faculty at the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine since 2005, where he is an Adjunct Associate Professor.
My favorite book/magazine is No longer in print
I cannot live without Oxygen
My favorite city to visit Paris
My favorite animal Sloth
Favorite sports team Won four World Series Championships this century
Douglas Sheridan, PhD
Doug has more than 20 years of R&D experience, both academically and professionally. He is a co-inventor of five clinical drug candidates, including an orphan drug approved by the FDA in 2018. Prior to joining Rallybio, Doug served as Executive Director, Global Program Team Leader at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, where he led the cross-functional development teams responsible for the strategy, budget and operational activities required to launch two global development programs. Doug earned his PhD in Neuroscience from Yale University. He also holds a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Pennsylvania State University.
My favorite book/magazine is It’s a tossup between Moby Dick and anything by Carl Hiaasen.
When I’m not working, I’m… Hiking in the woods or fishing on Long Island Sound with my dog, Rosie. She is a cheerful and willing companion, and rarely talks.
I cannot live without Being able to spend time in natural environments. It’s my most valuable time for creative thinking. I’ve never had a good idea sitting at a desk.
My favorite city to visit Copenhagen.
My greatest non-work accomplishment I didn’t go to college after high school, I restored antique furniture professionally from age 19-27. Quitting my job to go to college as an adult was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.
Rallybio Board of Directors
Ron Hunt
Ron is a Managing Director at New Leaf Venture Partners, and focuses on early to late stage investments in biopharmaceuticals. Ron was one of the founders of New Leaf in 2005, and today has over two decades of experience investing in, and building, companies focused on developing novel medicines that address important unmet medical needs. Prior to his start in venture capital in 1998, Ron was a strategy and operations consultant to clients in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. His experience also includes a number of sales and marketing positions with Johnson & Johnson and SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. Ron is a graduate of The Wharton School (MBA) and Cornell University (B.S.).
Martin Mackay, PhD
Martin is a co-founder of Rallybio, and has worked in pharmaceutical and biotech R&D for more than 30 years, holding leadership roles at companies including Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Alexion. Martin obtained a First Class Honours Degree in microbiology from Heriot-Watt University and his PhD in molecular genetics from the University of Edinburgh. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Charles River Laboratories and Novo Nordisk, and is a Senior Advisor at New Leaf Ventures. Martin summarizes the three loves in his life as being family, work, and soccer, but not necessarily in that order.
Kush M. Parmar, MD PhD
Kush is a Managing Partner at 5AM Ventures. Dr. Parmar serves as a Director on the Boards of Akouos, Arvinas (NASDAQ: ARVN), Entrada, Homology (NASDAQ: FIXX), and Vor Biopharma. He previously served as Acting VP of Strategy and Corporate Development at Novira (acquired by J&J) and served as Board Member or Observer for Achaogen (NASDAQ: AKAO), Audentes (NASDAQ: BOLD), Envoy (acquired by Takeda) and scPharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SCPH). Dr. Parmar serves on the Advisory Boards of Penn Medicine, Princeton University’s Department of Molecular Biology, and the Grace Science Foundation. He is a Fellow of the Society of Kauffman Fellows. Prior to 5AM, Dr. Parmar was at Harvard Medical School, where he was an NIH-sponsored MD/PhD Physician Scientist Fellow in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program. He completed clinical clerkships at the Massachusetts General & Brigham and Women’s Hospitals. At Princeton University, Dr. Parmar worked on developmental genetics with Eric F. Wieschaus (Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1995). He holds an AB in Molecular Biology and Medieval Studies from Princeton University, a PhD in Experimental Pathology from Harvard University and an MD from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Parmar is based in the Boston, MA office.
Timothy Shannon, MD
Timothy is a Venture Partner at Canaan Partners. He also serves on the boards of Canaan portfolio companies Arvinas (NASDAQ: ARVN), IDEAYA Biosciences, Nextcure, Spyryx Biosciences, Vivace Therapeutics, and VaxInnate Corporation. Previously, Dr. Shannon was President and Chief Executive Officer of CuraGen, a biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology, after serving as Executive Vice President of R&D and Chief Medical Officer. He also held positions of increasing responsibility for Bayer’s Pharmaceutical Business Group, including Senior Vice President of Global Medical Development. Prior to his career in industry, Dr. Shannon was an Assistant Professor in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Shannon received his postgraduate medical training at the Beth Israel Hospital of Harvard Medical School and Boston University. He earned his medical degree from the University of Connecticut and has a bachelor’s in Chemistry from Amherst College.
