Stevenson Search Partners Recruits Chief Research and Development Officer for Apellis Pharmaceuticals
October 10, 2025 – Fort Lee, NJ-based Stevenson Search Partners, a global life science executive search firm and a Hunt Scanlon Top 50 ranked search firm, has assisted in the recruitment of Leslie Meltzer as chief research and development officer at Apellis Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Meltzer joins Apellis as a seasoned biopharma executive with demonstrated success in advancing innovative therapies from early discovery stages through regulatory milestone achievements and market introduction. Her extensive background encompasses deep knowledge in rare disease therapeutics and cell and gene therapy development, having contributed to the successful market launches of seven therapeutic products throughout her career.
In her most recent position as chief medical officer at Orchard Therapeutics, Dr. Meltzer provided strategic leadership across development, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, diagnostics, and patient advocacy functions, playing a pivotal role in obtaining regulatory approvals on a global scale. Her earlier career included senior leadership positions at Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Biogen, and Actelion Pharmaceuticals, where she established and directed medical affairs organizations that developed comprehensive launch strategies, fostered expanded scientific collaborations, and achieved significant measurable outcomes.
Headquartered in Waltham, MA, Apellis Pharmaceuticals is a publicly traded biopharma company that focuses on developing and commercializing treatments targeting the body’s complement system, specifically C3-driven disease pathways. In 2024 the company reported $781.4 million in total revenue—nearly doubling year over year.
With more than 40 years of experience, Stevenson Search Partners serves the global biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical technology, health technology, and CRO/CDMO sectors, with offices in the U.S. and the U.K. Founded in 1979, Stevenson’s expertise includes C-suite, research, clinical, development, commercial manufacturing, and corporate functions, and working with companies ranging from start-ups and academic spinouts to large pharma clients. Stevenson provides a collaborative, long-term approach to its clients with a global network and strategic talent mapping and pipelining, and competitive analysis services.
Related: The New Race for Talent in Life Sciences and Healthcare
The search firm boasts an entrepreneurial and diversity-driven culture, with expansive industry expertise and broad international reach. In 2020, Stevenson expanded its operations with the opening of an office in the U.K., which also serves the E.U. and other regions, as part of its strategic growth in the global life science and healthcare area.
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Larry Dolinko is CEO of Stevenson Search Partners. He is a seasoned leader with a track record of scaling teams and integrating services, and will spearhead the strategic direction of the firm. His vision focuses on doubling the size of Stevenson’s executive retained search business while seamlessly growing its new on-demand talent solutions.
Past Search
Earlier this year, Stevenson Search Partners placed Jay Cross as chief financial officer of Senti Biosciences. Mr. Cross previously spent six years as CFO at Sonnet BioTherapeutics, where he directed a successful capital markets campaign that yielded over $100 million in investment capital. As a complement to his corporate experience, Mr. Cross enjoyed a 20-year career on Wall Street, where he served as a managing director in the healthcare investment banking practice at Chardan, in addition to working as a professional investor on globally diversified healthcare portfolios at several funds, including SAC Capital, Citadel, and Balyasny Asset Management.
Senti Bio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new generation of cell and gene therapies for patients living with incurable diseases. To achieve this, Senti Bio is leveraging a synthetic biology platform called Gene Circuits to create therapies with enhanced precision and control.
Related: Stevenson Search Partners Receives Long-Term Investment from SixSibs Capital
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
