On September 25, 2025, Sethera Therapeutics, a biotechnology company advancing next-generation polymacrocyclic peptide therapeutics, announced the appointment of two globally recognized scientists, Jeffery W. Kelly, PhD, (Scripps Research), and Alexander M. Klibanov, PhD, (MIT), to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). They join existing SAB member Robert Langer, PhD, (MIT) in guiding Sethera’s scientific strategy.
Kelly, the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Chemistry at Scripps Research, is a pioneer in the field of protein folding and proteostasis. He is best known for elucidating the molecular basis of transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis and leading the discovery of tafamidis (Vyndaqel)—the first disease-modifying TTR stabilizer, now marketed by Pfizer. Kelly’s work has earned him prestigious accolades, including the 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences and the 2023 Wolf Prize in Chemistry. At Sethera, he will advise on the translation of conformationally constrained macrocyclic peptide designs into clinically meaningful therapeutics targeting complex disease mechanisms.
Klibanov, the Novartis Professor of Chemistry (Emeritus) at MIT, is internationally recognized for ground-breaking work in enzyme catalysis, protein formulation, and the development of antimicrobial materials. A member of both the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, Klibanov has made seminal contributions to the stabilization and delivery of protein-based therapeutics. His deep expertise will support Sethera’s advancement of enzymatically engineered peptide candidates toward clinical development.
“Sethera’s platform sits at the nexus of structure and function,” said Karsten Eastman, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Sethera Therapeutics. “Dr. Kelly’s leadership in proteostasis and chemical biology, combined with Dr. Klibanov’s innovations in enzymatic engineering and formulation, directly align with our mission to transform polymacrocyclic peptide architectures into first-in-class therapeutics for historically intractable targets.”
About Sethera Therapeutics
Sethera Therapeutics is a biotechnology company pioneering enzymatic macrocyclization to create polymacrocyclic peptides—multi-macrocyclic, stapled scaffolds that bridge the gap between small molecules and biologics. Sethera’s platform combines ultra-large-scale discovery with orthogonal validation to unlock “undruggable” targets across oncology, metabolic disease, infectious disease, and beyond. Learn more at www.setheratx.com.