Catalyst Advisors Recruits CEO for Acceleron Pharma

October 11, 2016 – Executive search firm Catalyst Advisors has placed Habib Dable as president and chief executive officer of Acceleron Pharma Inc. He succeeds John Knopf who has announced his retirement. Catalyst John Archer and Sara Hagar led the search.

Mr. Dable joins Acceleron from Bayer AG, where he most recently served as president of pharmaceuticals for Bayer in the U.S. In this role, he was responsible for several new product launches while managing the company’s multi-billion dollar portfolio spanning therapeutic areas including hematology, neurology, oncology, women’s health, and cardiovascular disease. He is also a member of the board of directors and health section governing board of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Mr. Dable began his career at Bayer in 1994 and quickly moved on to hold a number of senior roles in Canada, Japan and the U.S., focusing on strategic planning, sales management, and global product marketing, including leading global product launches. Prior to his role as president of U.S. Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Dable was global head of specialty medicine for Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.

Recognizing the Value of a Portfolio

“With two Phase 3 trials underway and a strong proprietary pipeline, Acceleron is on the cusp of a key inflection point, and is adding critical commercial competencies to its core strength of research and development,” said Francois Nader, MD, chairman of Acceleron’s board of directors. “Habib is the right person to take Acceleron forward into this next stage of growth as a company, and build on the visionary and entrepreneurial work of John Knopf.”

“Habib brings a diverse skill set and strong track record within the biopharmaceutical industry,” Dr. Nader continued. “He is a strategic thinker with excellent leadership and communications skills that will help Acceleron deliver on our vision of becoming a leading biopharmaceutical company.”

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to join an established team at Acceleron – a company that has proven itself as a highly successful research and development organization,” said Mr. Dable. “I am excited to work with the Acceleron team and with our partner Celgene as we collaborate to fully recognize the value of our innovative portfolio.”

Acceleron is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics to treat serious and rare diseases. Its pioneering research platform leverages the biology behind the body’s ability to rebuild and repair its own cells and tissues.

With offices in New York, London and Los Angeles, Catalyst Advisors is focused on finding C-suite leaders and board directors for biopharma companies ranging from established global enterprises to start-ups backed by leading venture funds.

The Acceleron CEO assignment follows Catalyst Advisors’ third board search for Acceleron, recruiting Thomas McCourt, the chief commercial officer of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, to the Acceleron board in July. It is also the fifth CEO or corporate president completion for Catalyst Advisors this year, along with those for Second Genome, a microbiome-based therapeutics company; Karos Pharmaceuticals, which is developing a therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension; Melinta Therapeutics, a company focused on treatments to counter the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria; and Tioma Therapeutics, which is working in the area of leukemia, lymphoma and solid tumors.

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media

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