# Alex Martin

> Alex Martin is the Chief Executive Officer of Abcuro, a clinical-stage biotech in Newton, Massachusetts working on selectively depleting highly cytotoxic T cells in autoimmune disease and cancer. A biopharma operator with more than 30 years of company-building and deal-making, he has run Palladio Biosciences and Realm Therapeutics (both acquired), served as COO of Intercept Pharmaceuticals and CFO of BioXell, and held business-development leadership at Novartis. In February 2025 he steered Abcuro to a $200 million Series C led by New Enterprise Associates. He also chairs the board of Veralox Therapeutics, sits on the board of ESSA Pharma, coaches senior executives, and lectures at Wharton and Columbia Business School.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Abcuro, Inc.
- **Organizations:** Abcuro, Inc., Veralox Therapeutics, ESSA Pharma, Palladio Biosciences, Realm Therapeutics, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, BioXell, Novartis, SmithKline Beecham
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA, Political Science and Government, Cornell University, MBA, Harvard Business School
- **Known for:** Led Abcuro's $200 million Series C financing in February 2025, with New Enterprise Associates as lead investor, Took Palladio Biosciences to acquisition by Centessa Pharmaceuticals, Took Realm Therapeutics to acquisition by ESSA Pharma

## Career timeline

- **Early career** — Held roles of increasing responsibility in marketing and business development at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
- **Later** — Vice President, Global Business Development & Licensing at Novartis
- **Mid-career** — Chief Financial Officer of BioXell (acquired by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals)
- **Later** — Chief Operating Officer of Intercept Pharmaceuticals
- **Later** — Chief Executive Officer of Realm Therapeutics (acquired by ESSA Pharma)
- **Recent** — Chief Executive Officer of Palladio Biosciences (acquired by Centessa Pharmaceuticals)
- **2022** — Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Abcuro, Inc. (October 3, 2022)
- **2025** — Led Abcuro's $200 million Series C financing (February 2025)
- **2026** — Abcuro presented Phase 2/3 MUSCLE study results for ulviprubart at GCOM 2026 in Lisbon (March 2026)

## Achievements

- Led Abcuro's $200 million Series C financing in February 2025, with New Enterprise Associates as lead investor
- Took Palladio Biosciences to acquisition by Centessa Pharmaceuticals
- Took Realm Therapeutics to acquisition by ESSA Pharma
- Advanced Abcuro's lead candidate ulviprubart into a Phase 2/3 trial for inclusion body myositis
- Chairman of the Board at Veralox Therapeutics
- Director at ESSA Pharma
- Guest lecturer at Wharton and Columbia Business School on biotech, entrepreneurship and raising capital

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Abcuro presented Phase 2/3 MUSCLE study results for ulviprubart at the Global Conference on Myositis (GCOM) in Lisbon.
- **2025-02** — Abcuro closed a $200 million Series C financing led by New Enterprise Associates with Foresite Capital as a new investor.

## Links

- Website: https://abcuro.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnalexmartin

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/alex-martin
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-19