BEIJING & DURHAM, N.C.
Brii Biosciences (“Brii Bio”), a multi-national company developing innovative therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical needs and large public health burden, announced today the appointments of Rogers Yongqing Luo, B.M., MBA, as President of the company and General Manager for greater China, and Ankang Li, Ph.D., J.D., CFA, as Chief Financial Officer of the company. Both executives are based in Shanghai.
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Rogers Yongqing Luo, B.M., MBA (Photo: Business Wire)
Dr. Luo will play a central role in running Brii Bio’s business in China while supporting company’s growth in the United States. He will also lead the partnership with Tsinghua University and Shenzhen 3rd People’s Hospital to develop, manufacture and commercialize COVID-19 antibody therapies in China. Dr. Li is responsible for corporate finance & transactions, financial reporting and accounting, and internal control & audit.
“The appointments of Dr. Luo and Dr. Li mark a pivotal step for Brii Biosciences, as we advance clinical research, accelerate growth and prepare for the new and evolving healthcare marketplace in China and around the globe,” said Zhi Hong, Ph.D., CEO of Brii Bio. “Dr. Luo has extraordinary knowledge of the science, proven leadership track record, and commercial expertise in patient access. Dr. Li’s broad financial credentials, supported by scientific and legal qualifications, also are a significant addition to our already strong capabilities. I am delighted that they have brought their expertise and energy to Brii Bio at this critical time of growth.”
“I am excited to join a company with Brii Bio’s deep commitment to meeting the most urgent healthcare needs in China and to supporting global public health,” said Dr. Luo. “The environment is changing rapidly in China, with a need for companies to anticipate and respond with deep insight, disruptive access technologies, novel purchasing and healthcare delivery strategies – at the national, regional and local level. Doing well as a business while doing good for the health and well-being of people and society is core to my decision to join Brii Bio.”
Dr. Luo has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare industry. He joined Brii Bio from Gilead Sciences, where he was a global vice president and general manager of China. In four years with Gilead, as an early employee in China, he has built Gilead’s presence in China from beginning. Dr. Luo led the development, regulatory review and launch of eight innovative products, gaining rapid access across China. He led the team and established a unique business model encompassing science, commercialization and patient access. Prior to Gilead, he was Vice President of Roche China, pioneering novel strategies for patient access to oncology therapies. Before joining Roche, he was the General Manager of Novartis North China and Associate Marketing Director in Novartis global headquarter in Switzerland. Dr. Luo received his medical education from Xiangya School of Medicine, Central-South University, and served for three years as a surgeon at St. Luke’s Hospital, Shanghai. He also holds an EMBA from China Europe International Business School.
Dr. Li commented: “I am impressed by Brii Bio’s infectious disease pipeline and commitment to addressing the tremendous health challenges worldwide. Having worked with many multi-national research-based companies, I am inspired by Brii Bio’s focus on breakthrough innovation and insight with an entrepreneurial esprit de corps. I am honored to be a member of this remarkable team and looking forward to leading the company’s finance organization to accelerate the growth of Brii Bio.”
Dr. Li brings more than 10 years of experience in investment banking, business development, legal transaction and biomedical research. He joined Brii from Terns Biopharmaceuticals, where he was CFO, developing and deploying financial and corporate strategies and budget. Prior to Terns, Dr. Li was the Executive Director of the Corporate Finance department division at Goldman Sachs, where he was responsible for investment banking in Asia outside Japan. Dr. Li also worked in Merck Asia Pacific Innovation Hub, overseeing business development and licensing transactions in the region. Before that Dr. Li worked at two prominent law firms, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Ropes & Gray LLP as attorney, advising clients on capital markets and M&A transactions. His working career started in the Salk Institute as a biomedical researcher. Dr. Li received a Juris Doctor degree from The University of Chicago Law School, a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from The Baylor College of Medicine, a Master of Science degree from The National University of Singapore, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from The Fudan University. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
About Brii Biosciences
Brii Biosciences (Brii Bio) is a multi-national company committed to serving patients’ needs and improving public health by accelerating the development and delivery of breakthrough medicines through partnerships, best-in-class research and development, and the disruptive application of digital and data insight. With operations in the People’s Republic of China and the United States, the company is poised to serve as a bridge to carry transformative medicines to patients, help create significant growth for our partners and establish an innovation engine to help improve the public health and wellbeing of patients around the world. The company is developing treatments for illnesses with significant public health burdens, including infectious diseases, central nervous system diseases, and other prevalent illnesses. For more information, visit www.briibio.com.
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