DUBLIN, IRELAND and JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA–(Marketwired – Jul 8, 2015) – Serenus Biotherapeutics, Inc. today named Skhumbuzo Ngozwana, M.D., an internationally recognized pharmaceutical development expert, as President of the company.
Dr. Ngozwana has worked as a strategic advisor to Serenus since shortly after its founding in 2014. He brings to Serenus deep knowledge of the African pharmaceutical industry and an extensive global pharmaceutical network. He has served as a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP). His last assignment was with WHO where he was involved in the development of, and co-authored the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Sector Strategy and Action Plan.
Prior to that, he served as Deputy CEO of Cipla Medpro, one of Africa’s largest pharmaceutical companies, where he was involved, as part of the senior leadership in its $512 million acquisition by the Indian drug giant Cipla. Dr. Ngozwana also worked as the lead consultant for the UNIDO, working on the African Union Commission -UNIDO partnership on the development of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa, which he co-authored.
“This is a transformative time for African healthcare and it presents an opportunity for Africa’s talented pool of researchers and clinical trials specialists to work with pharmaceutical companies from around the world to co-develop and commercialize products that meet the needs of Africa,” says Dr. Ngozwana. “Companies like Serenus are ideal partners for drugmakers that understand the growing opportunities for their science and technology in Africa.”
Dr. Ngozwana previously served as the CEO of Lifeworks, a company that manages HIV/AIDS for corporate clients in a number of African countries. He also served as Chairman of the National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of South Africa, the founding chairman of the Southern African Generic Medicines Association; and a founding member of the Federation of African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (FAPMA); of which he is a board member. Dr. Ngozwana qualified as a medical doctor at the University of Cape Town before obtaining an MBA at the Gordon Institute of Business Science and a master’s degree in Clinical Pharmacology, both from the University of Pretoria.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Skhu’s vision, knowledge, and ability join the Serenus team on a full-time basis and play a critical role in its leadership,” says Dr. Menghis Bairu, founder and CEO of Serenus. “We have worked hard to build a team with global pharmaceutical development, commercial, and supply chain experience and a deep understanding of the markets in Africa and other emerging markets. Skhu’s appointment, along with the additional team members announced today, caps this effort.”
Serenus today announced the appointment of other key executive to its expanding team. The company named Lucas Mathebula, who has more than 20 years experience in international logistics in highly regulated industries, as Supply Chain Executive. Most recently he served as head of Distribution and Logistics-Africa with PetroSA. Mathebula will be based in Serenus’ Johannesburg headquarters.
In addition, the company named Dr. Sharon Wanjala as Regional Medical Affairs Director for East Africa. Dr. Wanjala joins Serenus from Sandoz, where she served as its medical advisor for East Africa. She will be based in Serenus’ Nairobi office and will commence employment on August 1.
The company also announced the expansion of its sales teams in Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa with the addition of several commercial account representatives.
About Serenus Biotherapeutics
Serenus Biotherapeutics is a privately held specialty biopharmaceutical company that specializes in late-stage drug development, in-licensing, registering, and commercializing therapies approved in the United States, Europe, and Japan to address unmet medical needs with high regional prevalence in the African market. For more information, please visit www.serenusbio.com
