Jade Biosciences Appoints Tom Frohlich as Chief Executive Officer and Hetal Kocinsky as Chief Medical Officer; Forms Board of Directors and Expands Financing to $95 Million
Mr. Frohlich, formerly Chief Operating Officer of Chinook Therapeutics, brings 20+ years of leadership experience; Dr. Kocinsky offers deep expertise in developing therapies for autoimmune and kidney diseases
Board of Directors, comprised of industry veterans in science, business, and strategy, will support the company’s growth
Expanded financing to accelerate clinical development of Jade’s novel therapies targeting autoimmune diseases with significant unmet need
Vancouver, BC, Canada and San Francisco, CA, October 24, 2024 – Jade Biosciences, Inc. (“Jade”), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing best-in-class therapies for patients living with autoimmune diseases, today announced the appointment of Tom Frohlich as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Hetal Kocinsky, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). The company also introduced its newly formed Board of Directors, marking a significant step in the company’s growth trajectory.
Jade has extended its financing, bringing the total raised to $95 million. The financing round adds Frazier Life Sciences and Versant Ventures to an investor syndicate that includes Fairmount, Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners, Deep Track Capital, Driehaus Capital Management, Franklin Templeton, RTW Investments, and Braidwell LP.
Strategic Appointments to Lead Jade’s Next Growth Phase
Tom Frohlich, Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Frohlich, a biotech and pharma industry veteran, brings over 20 years of experience in company building, business strategy, and product development. Before joining Jade, he co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Chinook Therapeutics, where he guided the company’s growth through to its $3.2 billion acquisition by Novartis in 2023. He also held leadership roles at Arbutus Biopharma, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck, managing key areas such as commercial strategy and business development.
“I am honored to join Jade Biosciences and lead this talented team through such an exciting time,” said Frohlich. “With a strong balance sheet, world-class investors, and an experienced leadership team, we are well-positioned to advance therapies that will transform patient care in autoimmune diseases.”
Hetal Kocinsky, M.D., Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Kocinsky brings deep expertise in drug development, having led clinical programs from early-stage research to regulatory approvals across multiple therapeutic areas. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Translational Medicine at Chinook and held leadership roles at Apellis and Achillion Pharmaceuticals. A board-certified pediatric nephrologist, she also spent time as an Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Medicine.
“I look forward to working alongside the team at Jade in our quest to deliver breakthrough therapies to patients in need,” said Dr. Kocinsky. “With my background in translational medicine and experience navigating complex clinical landscapes, I look forward to accelerating solutions that can redefine care for patients with autoimmune diseases.”
New Board of Directors Brings Industry Expertise and Strategic Insight
Jade’s newly formed Board of Directors is led by Board Chairman Eric Dobmeier, former President and CEO of Chinook Therapeutics, and brings together industry leaders with expertise across science, business operations, and corporate strategy. The board includes:
- Chris Cain, Ph.D. – Director of Research, Fairmount Funds Management LLC
- Eric Dobmeier – Board Chairman, Venture Partner, Samsara BioCapital
- Tom Frohlich – CEO, Jade Biosciences
- Tomas Kiselak – Managing Member, Fairmount Funds Management LLC
- Lawrence Klein, Ph.D. – CEO of Oruka Therapeutics
- Erin Lavelle – Former COO and CFO at Profound Bio, Eliem Therapeutics; additional leadership roles at Alder BioPharmaceuticals and Amgen
About Jade Biosciences
Jade Biosciences is developing transformative therapies with the goal of redefining the standard of care for autoimmune diseases. The company launched in July 2024 and has raised $95 million from a strong slate of investors: Fairmount, Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners, Deep Track Capital, Driehaus Capital Management, Franklin Templeton, RTW Investments, Braidwell LP, Frazier Life Sciences, and Versant Ventures. Jade’s portfolio was engineered by Paragon Therapeutics. For more information, visit JadeBiosciences.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
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