# Dan Baker

> Dan Baker is a physician-scientist turned biotech founder who spent two decades at Johnson & Johnson's Janssen division helping bring immunology blockbusters Remicade, Simponi and Stelara to patients, before launching Brisbane-based Kira Biotech in 2019 as its founding CEO. Kira is developing KB312, a first-in-class antibody designed to selectively retrain the immune system rather than broadly suppress it, aimed at autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and type 1 diabetes. A rheumatologist who taught at the University of Pennsylvania for 18 years, Baker also advises drug-development organisations and serves as a healthcare venture partner.

- **Role:** Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Kira Biotech
- **Organizations:** Kira Biotech Pty Ltd, OneVentures, Janssen / Centocor (Johnson & Johnson), University of Pennsylvania
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in Biology, Gettysburg College, M.D., University of Pennsylvania, Medical residency, Hershey Medical Center, Fellowship in Rheumatology, University of Pennsylvania, Research fellowship in Rheumatology, Massachusetts General Hospital
- **Known for:** Founding CEO of Kira Biotech, which launched with A$20 million in Series A funding in 2019, Led clinical development of immunology blockbusters Remicade, Simponi and Stelara at Janssen, Helped steer an immunology portfolio that generated more than $13 billion in combined annual sales by 2018

## Career timeline

- **1982-2000** — Served on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania for 18 years as an academic rheumatologist and immunologist
- **2000** — Joined Centocor / Janssen, the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson
- **2000-2019** — Vice President of Immunology R&D at Janssen, leading clinical development of Remicade, Simponi and Stelara
- **2015-2019** — Disease Area Stronghold Leader at Janssen, owning Phase II & III rheumatology development and immunology portfolio strategy
- **2019** — Retired from Janssen after roughly two decades; immunology portfolio he helped lead exceeded $13B-$20B in sales
- **2019** — Founded Kira Biotech in Brisbane as CEO; company launched with A$20M Series A to advance KB312
- **2020** — Kira Biotech appointed an independent board chair as the company scaled toward the clinic

## Achievements

- Founding CEO of Kira Biotech, which launched with A$20 million in Series A funding in 2019
- Led clinical development of immunology blockbusters Remicade, Simponi and Stelara at Janssen
- Helped steer an immunology portfolio that generated more than $13 billion in combined annual sales by 2018
- Contributed to more than 15 regulatory drug approvals across the US, Europe and Japan
- Spent 18 years on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania as a rheumatologist and immunologist
- Co-led RTCure, an IMI2-sponsored academic/industry collaboration researching tolerogenic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis

## Latest updates

- **2019-10** — Kira Biotech launched publicly with A$20M Series A funding led by OneVentures, with IP Group and the Advance Queensland Business Development Fund
- **2020-07** — Kira Biotech appointed an experienced global pharma business leader as independent board chair

## Links

- Website: https://kirabiotech.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-baker-368936a

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/dan-baker
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-14