Beacon Therapeutics Holdings Limited, a Florida-based ophthalmic gene therapy company, announced on Wednesday that it has named Lance Baldo, MD as its new chief executive officer, effective 12 August 2024, and Thomas Biancardi as its new chief financial officer, effective 1 August 2024.

Dr Baldo has over 20 years of experience in biopharmaceuticals including the successful launch of two new indications and a new formulation for Lucentis while at Genentech. He has most recently worked as chief medical officer at Freenome, chief medical officer at Adaptive Biotechnologies and in various roles within the Roche Group and its affiliates, including senior vice president and head of US Medical Affairs for Genentech, and franchise head for Ophthalmology.

Biancardi, a biopharmaceutical industry veteran, has more than 25 years of financial and operational leadership experience, mainly within ophthalmology. He has assisted various companies in raising capital, and establishing clinical and commercial operations. He is one of the first employees of Ophthotech Corporation. He has played an important role in the successful launch of the first pharmacologic treatment for macular degeneration at Eyetech Pharmaceuticals.