2 October 2023 - LifeArc, the self-funded, not-for-profit medical research organisation today announced the appointment of Stéphane Maikovsky as Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Dr Melanie Lee who stepped down from the role last month.

Stéphane joined LifeArc as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Trustee in June 2022 to lead the organisation’s Finance, Investment, Early Ventures, Information Technology and Operational Effectiveness teams.

On taking up his new role, Stéphane said, "I am delighted to be leading this organisation to deliver our bold strategy, which will see us spend over £1 billion by 2030 in areas of science where we believe we can have the greatest impact for patients. The LifeArc team, with its tremendous drive, shared values and a unique combination of expertise, has the resources and capabilities to make life science life-changing for patients around the world.

"I would like to thank Melanie for her dedication and determination in guiding LifeArc in her five years here, and for her steadfast commitment to delivering better outcomes for patients."

Ian Gilham, Chair of the LifeArc Board of Trustees, said, "We are thrilled to have Stéphane leading our organisation. He brings a wealth of expertise that will help drive LifeArc forward in its mission to take promising early medical research and turn it into life-changing breakthroughs for patients. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Melanie for her leadership of LifeArc. She has left us in a strong position to realise our ambitions and deliver on our strategy."

Stéphane was previously CFO at the Francis Crick Institute for over six years, where he made a considerable impact by leading their financial strategy, planning and commercial partnerships. He has also held a number of senior financial, commercial and strategic roles in global biotechnology and business. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has an LLM in Medical Law and Ethics from the University of Edinburgh.

The process to recruit a permanent CEO is underway.

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Notes to editors

About LifeArc

LifeArc is a self-funded, not-for-profit medical research organisation and charity. We take science ideas out of the lab and help turn them into medical breakthroughs that can be life-changing for patients. We have been doing this for more than 25 years and our work has resulted in five licensed medicines, including cancer drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), lecanemab for Alzheimer’s (Leqembi), and a diagnostic for antibiotic resistance.

Our teams are experts in drug and diagnostics discovery, technology transfer, and intellectual property. Our work is in translational science – bridging the gap between academic research and clinical development, providing funding, research and expert knowledge, all with a clear and unwavering commitment to having a positive impact on patient lives. LifeArc is committed to spending £1.3 billion by 2030 in areas of high unmet medical need.

LifeArc is a company limited by guarantee (registered in England and Wales under no. 2698321) and a charity (registered in England and Wales under no. 1015243 and in Scotland under no. SC037861).

Find out more about our work on www.lifearc.org or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.