Codexis Appoints Biotherapeutics R&D VP

Hicham Alaoui, Ph.D. has been appointed to the newly created position of vice president, Biotherapeutics R&D, Codexis, Inc.
 
Dr. Alaoui brings unique drug discovery skills as the company expands its Biotherapeutics business and works to follow recent success in bringing its first drug candidate, CDX-6114 for potential treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU), into early trials. Dr. Alaoui will be responsible for directing the biotherapeutics discovery pipeline and for the acceleration of drug candidates toward the clinic and reports to Codexis president and chief executive officer John Nicols.  
  
Dr. Alaoui has more than 20 years of experience in a variety of drug discovery and development organizations. Most recently Dr. Alaoui served as senior vice president Discovery Biology and co-head of Research at Symic Bio, where he was responsible for expanding that company’s pipeline and strategically extending into new therapeutic areas. Prior to Symic Bio, Dr. Alaoui worked for five years at Genentech, ultimately leading a large in vitro pharmacology group dedicated to lead discovery and optimization for both biotherapeutic and small molecule programs. Prior to Genentech, he held various R&D leadership positions at Stryker Biotech, VisEn Medical, Neogenesis Pharmaceuticals, and Shire BioChem.
 
“Hicham’s broad and extensive drug discovery talents are a crucial and welcome addition to Codexis’ great R&D tradition,” said Mr. Nicols. “Hicham will amplify our ability to drive candidates from our drug discovery pipeline and toward clinical trials given his unique drug discovery, pharmacology, and product characterization skills refined over decades against a wide ranging set of therapeutic modalities and disease areas. In addition to his synergistic scientific expertise, Hicham will also bring a wealth of drug discovery and development leadership experience that will help the Codexis leadership team broadly with the continued build-out of the Biotherapeutics business.”