Anaveon Appoints Laetitia Pouzol as Chief Scientific Officer
BASEL, Switzerland, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anaveon, a late-stage biotechnology company pioneering precision biologics to reprogram the immune system for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced the appointment of Laetitia Pouzol, PharmD, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer. This internal promotion recognizes Laetitia’s outstanding contributions since joining the company in March 2025 as Head of Immunology, where she has been instrumental in advancing the company’s immunology programs.
During a period of organizational transition and transformation, Eric Zanelli, Ph.D., stepped in as interim Chief Scientific Officer, providing continuity and strong scientific support to the team. Anaveon extends its sincere thanks to Eric for his invaluable leadership and dedication during this critical time.
“We are excited to promote Laetitia to the role of permanent Chief Scientific Officer,” said Thaminda Ramanayake, Chief Executive Officer of Anaveon. “Laetitia has been spearheading our immunology scientific thought process internally at Anaveon with exceptional vision and execution. Her leadership in managing the team on the ground with empathy, compassion, and a genuine love for science has resonated deeply with everyone in the organization. Her deep expertise in translational research and proven ability to advance assets from discovery to IND-enabling stages make her the ideal leader to guide our scientific strategy as we move our lead program ANV200 and pipeline forward into the clinic.”
Laetitia Pouzol commented: “I am deeply honored to be appointed Chief Scientific Officer of Anaveon at such an important moment for the company. Since joining as Head of Immunology, I have had the privilege of leading the translational research strategy for our immunology programs, including advancing ANV200, our PD-1 depleting antibody, from early discovery into IND-enabling studies. Anaveon’s innovative precision biologics approach to selectively modulating the immune system has the potential to transform treatment for patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. I am excited to continue working with our talented team to drive rigorous science, foster collaborations, accelerate our programs toward clinical success, and, most importantly, deliver meaningful impact for patients.”
About Laetitia Pouzol, PharmD, Ph.D.:
Laetitia Pouzol brings more than 16 years of experience across drug discovery, preclinical development, and clinical development support, with deep expertise in immunology, autoimmunity, neuroinflammation, and translational research.
Before her appointment as CSO, Laetitia joined Anaveon in March 2025 as Head of Immunology, where she led preclinical and translational research strategy for the company’s immunology programs, including advancing ANV200, a PD-1 depleting antibody, from early discovery into IND-enabling studies. Prior to Anaveon, she held increasingly senior roles at Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals, and Hoffmann-La Roche, where she advanced preclinical candidates toward IND, guided mechanism-based indication selection, led pharmacology and immunology teams, and supported early clinical programs through biomarker strategy.
Laetitia earned her Ph.D. in Immunology from University Paris-Saclay and holds a PharmD and an MS in Safety Pharmacology from the University of Lorraine.
Media contact:
Benz Advisory
Beatrix Benz
Email: beatrix.benz@anaveon.com
Tel: +41 79 256 77 73
About Anaveon:
Anaveon AG is a late-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland focused on developing next-generation precision biologics that target central regulatory nodes of the immune system. The company’s engineered antibodies and cytokine-based therapies aim to selectively eliminate or reprogram pathogenic immune cells, restoring durable immune balance in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Anaveon’s lead immunology program, ANV200, is a next-generation precision-engineered PD-1 depleting antibody currently advancing through IND-enabling studies, with clinical testing planned in the near future. Anaveon is backed by Syncona, Forbion, Blue Owl, Novartis Venture Fund, Pfizer Ventures and Pontifax.
Find out more at > anaveon.com
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