Norfolk biopharma company appoints CEO, chief R&D officer

Norfolk-based biopharma company ReAlta Life Sciences has appointed David Marek its CEO and Paolo Martini its chief research and development officer, the company announced Thursday.

“I am confident that David and Paolo are the ideal leaders for these two pivotal roles,” Edward A. Heidt Jr., chairperson of ReAlta’s board of directors, said in a statement. “David has a strong track record of success driving business transformation including leading an organization with one of the most successful buyouts in recent years, while Paolo’s deep expertise in leading-edge drug discovery and development across an array of therapeutic areas, including rare diseases, will position ReAlta well as we look ahead to delivering potentially life-saving medications for patients with rare and acute inflammatory diseases.”

Marek was previously CEO and a member of the board of directors for Myovant Sciences, where he led its shift from clinical stage to commercial stage with three commercial launches of therapeutics focused on hormone-sensitive oncology and women’s health, according to a news release. Sumitovant Biopharma closed its approximately $1.7 billion acquisition of the company in March 2023.

“It’s rare to find a company so well-positioned with a novel scientific approach to take on one of the great challenges in human health — inflammation,” Marek said in a statement. “I am excited to bring my energy and experience to serve as the CEO of ReAlta and am proud to work alongside team members who work tirelessly to break new ground in advancing our mission on behalf of patients.”

Before joining Myovant, Marek was chief commercial officer of Axsome Therapeutics, leading the buildout of commercial capabilities for anticipated product launches. Prior to that, he was general manager of the neuroscience business unit at Amgen, a position in which he led the U.S. launch of the Aimovig medication for migraine prevention.

Marek also previously held roles with WebMD Health, Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Advertising, Eli Lilly and Co., and AstraZeneca. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washington State University.

Now ReAlta’s chief research and development officer, Martini has more than 25 years of experience in drug discovery and development. He previously served as chief scientific officer and founder of Moderna Rare Diseases at Moderna. In those roles, he led a team focused on identifying novel therapies and applying translational approaches for drug development in rare diseases and hematological disorders.

Before that, Martini was senior director of discovery biology and translational research at Shire Pharmaceutical, where he helped launch VPRIV for Gaucher disease and Firazyr for hereditary angioedema.

Martini has authored more than 50 journal articles. He has a doctorate in molecular endocrinology from the University of Milan in Italy. Martini is a member of Certa Therapeutics’ scientific and clinical advisory board for nephrology and Ginkgo Bioworks’ biopharma advisory board.

Launched in 2018, ReAlta is a clinical mid-stage biotech company that focuses on addressing life-threatening acute inflammatory and rare diseases. It has locations in Norfolk and in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.