Centauri Therapeutics, an immunotherapy company in Sandwich, Kent founded by Animatrix Founders and focused on the treatment of infectious diseases, has appointed Dr Jennifer Schneider as chief executive.

Schneider has 20 years’ experience working with life science companies, universities and non-governmental organisations globally, to deliver guidance on anti-infectives policy, partnering, and fundraising. She was previously executive officer for the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership, North America.

Dr Helen Bright has been appointed as vice-president of R&D from Medicines Discovery Catapult, where she supported the discovery and development of anti-infectives, vaccines, and diagnostics as head of infection biology. She has more than 30 years’ experience focused on infectious diseases within the biopharmaceutical industry, with senior scientific and operational leadership roles at AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and GlaxoSmithKline, advancing novel therapeutic candidates through the clinic to commercialisation.

Professor David Roblin has been appointed as the company’s chair. He has a track record in academic research, therapeutic development, product commercialisation, and fundraising. He held senior leadership positions for more than 20 years at Bayer and Pfizer, where he oversaw the development of several infectious disease therapeutics, including azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and moxifloxacin. He is chair of scientific translation at the Francis Crick Institute, honorary Professor of translational medicine at St George’s Hospital, and an honorary professor of medicine at Swansea University. He has extensive board experience and serves as non-executive director of Sosei Heptares and Relation Therapeutics, where he is also CEO.

Dr Mike Westby, chief scientific officer at Centauri Therapeutics, said: “We are delighted to welcome all three members to our senior leadership team following our recent Series A close. Between them they bring an impressive wealth of experience across infectious disease research, drug development and product commercialisation. We are proud to attract such high-calibre talent, and have no doubt that Dr Schneider, Dr Bright, and Professor Roblin will be invaluable in driving our AMR research projects through to first-in-human trials.”