Our Team
SaponiQx is led by an exceptional team who bring deep experience in vaccines, platform design, and innovation, with proven success in industry, government, and academia.
LEADERSHIP
Chan Harjivan
President and Chief Operating Officer
Chan Harjivan serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of SaponiQx. Chan brings to SaponiQx extensive experience leading R&D strategy, spanning from discovery through to product launch. He is an expert at innovation management, public private partnerships, and global health. Chan’s previous positions include Advisor to Senior Operation Warp Speed leaders at Health and Human Services, Partner and Managing Director for the Boston Consulting Group and 17 years as the Global Health lead at PwC. He holds a PharmD from the University of Maryland, an MBA from the University of Oxford, and an MPH from Johns Hopkins University.
Chan Harjivan
President and Chief Operating Officer
Chan Harjivan serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of SaponiQx. Chan brings to SaponiQx extensive experience leading R&D strategy, spanning from discovery through to product launch. He is an expert at innovation management, public private partnerships, and global health. Chan’s previous positions include Advisor to Senior Operation Warp Speed leaders at Health and Human Services, Partner and Managing Director for the Boston Consulting Group and 17 years as the Global Health lead at PwC. He holds a PharmD from the University of Maryland, an MBA from the University of Oxford, and an MPH from Johns Hopkins University.
President and Chief Operating Officer
Rebecca Kurnat
Head of Product
Rebecca Kurnat, M.S. serves as SaponiQx’s Head of Product. Rebecca brings a deep background in providing strategic leadership across all phases of drug development based upon 20 years experience managing large, technically complex, programs and product portfolios, with increasing influence from academia through private industry, in pursuit of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed medical products. Before joining SaponiQx, Rebecca served in a number of leadership positions at the US Government, most recently the HHS Product Coordination Lead for Operation Warp Speed, overseeing all aspects of the federal government’s Novavax COVID-19 vaccine development effort, and prior to that the Director of Technology Selection and Clinical Evaluation for the Department of Defense. Rebecca holds an M.S in Biotechnology from the Johns Hopkins University.
Rebecca Kurnat
Head of Product
Rebecca Kurnat, M.S. serves as SaponiQx’s Head of Product. Rebecca brings a deep background in providing strategic leadership across all phases of drug development based upon 20 years experience managing large, technically complex, programs and product portfolios, with increasing influence from academia through private industry, in pursuit of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed medical products. Before joining SaponiQx, Rebecca served in a number of leadership positions at the US Government, most recently the HHS Product Coordination Lead for Operation Warp Speed, overseeing all aspects of the federal government’s Novavax COVID-19 vaccine development effort, and prior to that the Director of Technology Selection and Clinical Evaluation for the Department of Defense. Rebecca holds an M.S in Biotechnology from the Johns Hopkins University.
Head of Product
John Baldoni
Head of Science
Dr. John Baldoni has developed an expansive portfolio over 40+ years in the pharmaceutical industry. His previous positions include Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery, and Senior Vice President of Platform Technology and Science (PTS) at GSK Pharma R&D. His experience spans chemical entity design, preclinical activity, biopharmaceutical development, commercialization, and discovery modernization. John has led several high-profile cross-functional problem-solving and strategic initiatives and is Co-Founder and Chair of the Accelerating Therapeutics for Opportunities in Medicine (ATOM) consortium’s Governing Board.
John Baldoni
Head of Science
Dr. John Baldoni has developed an expansive portfolio over 40+ years in the pharmaceutical industry. His previous positions include Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery, and Senior Vice President of Platform Technology and Science (PTS) at GSK Pharma R&D. His experience spans chemical entity design, preclinical activity, biopharmaceutical development, commercialization, and discovery modernization. John has led several high-profile cross-functional problem-solving and strategic initiatives and is Co-Founder and Chair of the Accelerating Therapeutics for Opportunities in Medicine (ATOM) consortium’s Governing Board.
Head of Science
Julie DeSander
Chief Business Officer
Julie DeSander serves as the Chief Business Officer for SaponiQx and Agenus, responsible for business development, alliance management, and portfolio strategy. At Agenus, she led transactions with BMS, Gilead, UroGen, Betta Pharmaceuticals, generating >$400M in cash through upfront and achieved milestone payments. Prior to Agenus, Julie had more than 10 years of cross-functional experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with leadership roles in business development, corporate strategy, finance, and program management at Baxalta, Amgen, Siamab Therapeutics, McKinsey & Company, and the Frankel Group. Julie holds an MBA from MIT Sloan, and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Enterprise from the Harvard/MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology.
Julie DeSander
Chief Business Officer
Julie DeSander serves as the Chief Business Officer for SaponiQx and Agenus, responsible for business development, alliance management, and portfolio strategy. At Agenus, she led transactions with BMS, Gilead, UroGen, Betta Pharmaceuticals, generating >$400M in cash through upfront and achieved milestone payments. Prior to Agenus, Julie had more than 10 years of cross-functional experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with leadership roles in business development, corporate strategy, finance, and program management at Baxalta, Amgen, Siamab Therapeutics, McKinsey & Company, and the Frankel Group. Julie holds an MBA from MIT Sloan, and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Enterprise from the Harvard/MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology.
Chief Business Officer
Al Dadson
Chief Manufacturing Officer
Alfred Dadson serves as Chief Manufacturing Officer in Agenus’s Global Biologics Operations, supporting SaponiQx. Al is responsible for process development of our antibodies, vaccines, and cell therapies, from manufacturing through to commercialization. Previously, he was Vice President of Antibody Manufacturing Operations and Site Head of Agenus West, leading the team who developed a record number of eight antibody programs through to successful IND acceptance in under two years. Prior to joining Agenus, Al was Vice President of Manufacturing Operations and Facilities Engineering at XOMA. Al holds a patent on a state-of-the-art modular facility design and was named a lifetime member of Industry Leaders’ Who is Who by his peers.
Al Dadson
Chief Manufacturing Officer
Alfred Dadson serves as Chief Manufacturing Officer in Agenus’s Global Biologics Operations, supporting SaponiQx. Al is responsible for process development of our antibodies, vaccines, and cell therapies, from manufacturing through to commercialization. Previously, he was Vice President of Antibody Manufacturing Operations and Site Head of Agenus West, leading the team who developed a record number of eight antibody programs through to successful IND acceptance in under two years. Prior to joining Agenus, Al was Vice President of Manufacturing Operations and Facilities Engineering at XOMA. Al holds a patent on a state-of-the-art modular facility design and was named a lifetime member of Industry Leaders’ Who is Who by his peers.
Chief Manufacturing Officer
Robin Abrams
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer
Robin E. Abrams is a senior executive leader with more than 20 years’ legal and management experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She joined SaponiQx as Secretary and Agenus as Chief Legal Officer in April 2022. Robin most recently served as General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer at SIGA Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: SIGA) from April 2016 to March 2022. Robin also served as Executive Chair of the Board of Directors of vTv Therapeutics (Nasdaq: VTVT) from December 2020 until she stepped down in June 2022, and, prior to that as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for vTv Therapeutics from August 2016 until December 2020 when she was promoted to Executive Chair. In her roles, Robin’s broad responsibilities included law, compliance, corporate governance, quality assurance, human resources, government relations and corporate affairs. Prior to joining SIGA and vTv, Robin was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Purdue Pharma where she was responsible for the company’s federal and state government investigations and litigation, and oversaw the regulatory, employment, and compliance groups within the Law Department. Previously, Robin served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, rising to the position of Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division. During her tenure as a federal prosecutor, Robin spearheaded creation of the Office’s healthcare fraud initiatives. Following a stint living and working for a women’s rights lawyer in Mumbai, India, Robin clerked for Chief Judge Jack B. Weinstein, federal District Court, Eastern District of New York. Robin earned her Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University.
Robin Abrams
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer
Robin E. Abrams is a senior executive leader with more than 20 years’ legal and management experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She joined SaponiQx as Secretary and Agenus as Chief Legal Officer in April 2022. Robin most recently served as General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer at SIGA Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: SIGA) from April 2016 to March 2022. Robin also served as Executive Chair of the Board of Directors of vTv Therapeutics (Nasdaq: VTVT) from December 2020 until she stepped down in June 2022, and, prior to that as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for vTv Therapeutics from August 2016 until December 2020 when she was promoted to Executive Chair. In her roles, Robin’s broad responsibilities included law, compliance, corporate governance, quality assurance, human resources, government relations and corporate affairs. Prior to joining SIGA and vTv, Robin was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Purdue Pharma where she was responsible for the company’s federal and state government investigations and litigation, and oversaw the regulatory, employment, and compliance groups within the Law Department. Previously, Robin served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, rising to the position of Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division. During her tenure as a federal prosecutor, Robin spearheaded creation of the Office’s healthcare fraud initiatives. Following a stint living and working for a women’s rights lawyer in Mumbai, India, Robin clerked for Chief Judge Jack B. Weinstein, federal District Court, Eastern District of New York. Robin earned her Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University.
Secretary and Chief Legal Officer
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Garo Armen
Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Agenus Inc.
Dr. Garo Armen serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Agenus Inc., which he co-founded in 1994. Under his leadership, Agenus has been advancing breakthrough scientific technologies and immunotherapeutic products. In addition, Garo oversaw the successful restructuring of the biopharmaceutical company Elan Corporation, plc, where he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Garo currently acts as Chairman of the Board of Protagenic Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focusing on human brain hormones for the treatment of neurological and metabolic disorders. He began his research career at Brookhaven National Laboratory subsequent to which he made a transition to Wall Street, as an analyst and investment banker at EF Hutton and then at Dean Witter Reynolds ( now Morgan Stanley) , cultivating key relationships and stock-market expertise. Garo received his PhD in physical chemistry from the City University of New York.
Garo Armen
Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Agenus Inc.
Dr. Garo Armen serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Agenus Inc., which he co-founded in 1994. Under his leadership, Agenus has been advancing breakthrough scientific technologies and immunotherapeutic products. In addition, Garo oversaw the successful restructuring of the biopharmaceutical company Elan Corporation, plc, where he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Garo currently acts as Chairman of the Board of Protagenic Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focusing on human brain hormones for the treatment of neurological and metabolic disorders. He began his research career at Brookhaven National Laboratory subsequent to which he made a transition to Wall Street, as an analyst and investment banker at EF Hutton and then at Dean Witter Reynolds ( now Morgan Stanley) , cultivating key relationships and stock-market expertise. Garo received his PhD in physical chemistry from the City University of New York.
Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Agenus Inc.
Brian Corvese
President and founder of Vencor Capital
Mr. Corvese is president and founder of Vencor Capital, a private equity firm with telecommunications and technology investments in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. Prior to Vencor, Mr. Corvese worked on investments in the US and global equity markets as a managing director and partner at Soros Fund Management, the largest hedge fund in the world at the time. From 1988 to 1996, Mr. Corvese was a partner at Chancellor Capital Management, a $25-billion money management firm. While at Chancellor, Mr. Corvese was a portfolio manager with responsibility for investments made in basic industries, restructurings, and special situations, corporate governance investments, as well as founding and managing his own hedge fund. From 1981 to 1988, Mr. Corvese was with Drexel Burnham Lambert as an equity analyst following the chemical and specialty chemical industries and he participated in a significant number of merger and acquisition activities. While at Drexel, Mr. Corvese was a member of the top chemical and specialty chemical research team, as ranked by Institutional Investor. Mr. Corvese currently serves on the board of the National Telecommunications Company, based in Cairo, Egypt. Mr. Corvese earned degrees in finance and political science from The University of Rhode Island and attended New York University Graduate School.
Brian Corvese
President and founder of Vencor Capital
Mr. Corvese is president and founder of Vencor Capital, a private equity firm with telecommunications and technology investments in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. Prior to Vencor, Mr. Corvese worked on investments in the US and global equity markets as a managing director and partner at Soros Fund Management, the largest hedge fund in the world at the time. From 1988 to 1996, Mr. Corvese was a partner at Chancellor Capital Management, a $25-billion money management firm. While at Chancellor, Mr. Corvese was a portfolio manager with responsibility for investments made in basic industries, restructurings, and special situations, corporate governance investments, as well as founding and managing his own hedge fund. From 1981 to 1988, Mr. Corvese was with Drexel Burnham Lambert as an equity analyst following the chemical and specialty chemical industries and he participated in a significant number of merger and acquisition activities. While at Drexel, Mr. Corvese was a member of the top chemical and specialty chemical research team, as ranked by Institutional Investor. Mr. Corvese currently serves on the board of the National Telecommunications Company, based in Cairo, Egypt. Mr. Corvese earned degrees in finance and political science from The University of Rhode Island and attended New York University Graduate School.
President and founder of Vencor Capital
Jennifer Wipf
Senior Vice President of Commercial Cell Engineering at Ginkgo Bioworks
Jennifer serves as the Head of Commercial at Ginkgo Bioworks, and leads Ginkgo’s commercial function, responsible for growing the cell engineering business and delivering value for customers. From bringing programs onto the platform to guiding customer success all the way through to commercial scale up and product delivery, Jennifer and her team bring synthetic biology products to life. Jennifer brings a technical background and experience in large scale biological manufacturing; prior to Ginkgo, Jennifer spent more than a decade at Merck and Co., where she worked in Vaccine development, in Plant management domestically and internationally, and U.S Market commercial roles. Jennifer holds a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Arizona.
Jennifer Wipf
Senior Vice President of Commercial Cell Engineering at Ginkgo Bioworks
Jennifer serves as the Head of Commercial at Ginkgo Bioworks, and leads Ginkgo’s commercial function, responsible for growing the cell engineering business and delivering value for customers. From bringing programs onto the platform to guiding customer success all the way through to commercial scale up and product delivery, Jennifer and her team bring synthetic biology products to life. Jennifer brings a technical background and experience in large scale biological manufacturing; prior to Ginkgo, Jennifer spent more than a decade at Merck and Co., where she worked in Vaccine development, in Plant management domestically and internationally, and U.S Market commercial roles. Jennifer holds a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Arizona.
Senior Vice President of Commercial Cell Engineering at Ginkgo Bioworks
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Charlotte Kensil
Charlotte Read Kensil, Ph.D., brings over 35 years of biopharma and saponin adjuvant experience, and is recognized worldwide for her discovery of QS-21 as a vaccine adjuvant. She pioneered the development efforts of QS-21 for Cambridge Bioscience and its successor companies, Cambridge Biotech and Aquila Biopharmaceuticals, continuing through Antigenics’ acquisition of QS-21 in 2000. Dr. Kensil has led preclinical research efforts on saponins in the fields of drug delivery and excipient formulations and is the lead inventor on ten U.S. patents relating to saponins as adjuvants, adjuvant formulations, and drug delivery agents. She has served in executive positions at Aquila Biopharmaceuticals and Antigenics and holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of California San Diego.
Charlotte Kensil
Charlotte Read Kensil, Ph.D., brings over 35 years of biopharma and saponin adjuvant experience, and is recognized worldwide for her discovery of QS-21 as a vaccine adjuvant. She pioneered the development efforts of QS-21 for Cambridge Bioscience and its successor companies, Cambridge Biotech and Aquila Biopharmaceuticals, continuing through Antigenics’ acquisition of QS-21 in 2000. Dr. Kensil has led preclinical research efforts on saponins in the fields of drug delivery and excipient formulations and is the lead inventor on ten U.S. patents relating to saponins as adjuvants, adjuvant formulations, and drug delivery agents. She has served in executive positions at Aquila Biopharmaceuticals and Antigenics and holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of California San Diego.
James Lawler
Dr. James Lawler is co-Director of the Global Center for Health Security at at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Professor of Medicine in Infectious Disease, and Deputy Medical Director for the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Dr. Lawler’s career has focused on emerging infectious diseases, medical and public health preparedness, outbreak response, and global health. He served in national policy positions in the White House during two administrations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Lawler assisted in leading a small team that deployed to Yokohama, Japan, to repatriate American citizens quarantined aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess. Dr. Lawler advises local, state, and national leadership on emerging infectious disease threats as well a variety of entities in the public and private sectors on COVID-19 response. He retired from the US Navy Medical Corps in 2017 after 21 years of active service.
James Lawler
Dr. James Lawler is co-Director of the Global Center for Health Security at at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Professor of Medicine in Infectious Disease, and Deputy Medical Director for the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Dr. Lawler’s career has focused on emerging infectious diseases, medical and public health preparedness, outbreak response, and global health. He served in national policy positions in the White House during two administrations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Lawler assisted in leading a small team that deployed to Yokohama, Japan, to repatriate American citizens quarantined aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess. Dr. Lawler advises local, state, and national leadership on emerging infectious disease threats as well a variety of entities in the public and private sectors on COVID-19 response. He retired from the US Navy Medical Corps in 2017 after 21 years of active service.
Robert Franco
Dr. Franco is currently a Senior fellow at The Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. With over 24 years of consulting experience, Dr. Franco led PwC’s Pharmaceutical R&D practice where he specialized in improving pharmaceutical drug development, technology transfer, clinical trial operations, and manufacturing. Dr. Franco has worked with the senior management of several large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, NGOs, and multinational organizations to implement complex change management initiatives to improve growth, reduce costs, and remediate quality and regulatory issues. Dr. Franco has eight management consulting articles, 13 technical publications, and three patents to his name and has served on several international technical review and regulatory standards committees. He has a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science in biochemistry from the University of Rochester.
Robert Franco
Dr. Franco is currently a Senior fellow at The Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. With over 24 years of consulting experience, Dr. Franco led PwC’s Pharmaceutical R&D practice where he specialized in improving pharmaceutical drug development, technology transfer, clinical trial operations, and manufacturing. Dr. Franco has worked with the senior management of several large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, NGOs, and multinational organizations to implement complex change management initiatives to improve growth, reduce costs, and remediate quality and regulatory issues. Dr. Franco has eight management consulting articles, 13 technical publications, and three patents to his name and has served on several international technical review and regulatory standards committees. He has a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science in biochemistry from the University of Rochester.
