Khondrion, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company discovering and developing therapies targeting mitochondrial disease, today announces the appointment of Arnout Ploos van Amstel as its new Chief Operating Officer.
Arnout is an executive leader in the life sciences and biotechnology industries with more than 30 years of business and operations experience. Most recently, as SVP, Head and General Manager of Novartis’ Immunology, Hepatology and Dermatology (IHD) Global Business Franchise, Arnout was responsible for assets from early clinical development to late stage commercialization. He was the driver behind the success of the game changing biologic Cosentyx – one of the most successful Novartis launches to date – in the diseases Psoriasis and Spondyloarthritis.
The portfolio further included Xolair, for the treatment of the skin disease chronic spontaneous urticaria, and Ilaris in orphan auto-inflammatory diseases. He was also responsible for regular portfolio enrichments through licensing deals and acquisitions. Prior to this, Arnout enjoyed a global career with positions of increasing responsibilities, including general management roles in the US, Canada, Greece and in the Netherlands.
Prof. Dr. Jan Smeitink, Chief Executive Officer at Khondrion, said: “We are delighted to welcome Arnout to Khondrion. His passion for converting science and therapies into sustainable value for customers and patients, through the design and execution of fully integrated development-medical-commercial-access strategies, will be critical as we advance our research to bring new mitochondrial disease medicines to patients.”