DiNAQOR AG, an innovative health technology group advancing early-stage drug development, has announced strategic leadership appointments to strengthen its position as a life science company builder. The company focuses on creating, scaling, and partnering next-generation biotechnology ventures by enabling advanced, human-relevant nonclinical testing methods.
Dr. Christian Thirion has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Delegate of the Board of Directors of DiNATEQ AG, the recently established DiNAQOR spin-out focused on the clinical translation of the closed-loop loco-regional perfusion (LRP) delivery platform. Additionally, Dr. Thirion assumes the newly created role of Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer of DiNAQOR AG, where he will lead group-wide corporate strategy, strategic partnerships, and M&A activities.
Dr. Thirion brings more than two decades of entrepreneurial and executive leadership experience in the life sciences industry. He founded Sirion Biotech and led the company as its long-standing Chief Executive Officer, successfully building it into a global market leader in viral vector engineering and AAV-based gene delivery. Under his leadership, Sirion Biotech became a preferred partner to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide and was ultimately acquired by PerkinElmer in a landmark transaction.
Johannes Holzmeister, Founder of the DiNAQOR Group and Chairman and CEO of DINAQOR AG, stated that Dr. Thirion's success in building Sirion Biotech from a pioneering start-up into a market-leading company speaks for itself. With Christian joining DiNAQOR as CEO of DiNATEQ and as Group Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, the company is significantly strengthening its ability to build companies, execute partnerships, and translate breakthrough technologies into clinical and commercial success.
Dr. Thirion added that DiNAQOR has built an exceptional ecosystem for turning scientific innovation into impactful biotechnology companies. The closed-loop perfusion platform represents a truly differentiated delivery technology with the potential to unlock multiple therapeutic modalities across organs. He expressed excitement about leading DiNATEQ at this pivotal stage and, at the group level, helping shape DiNAQOR's long-term strategy, forge strong pharmaceutical partnerships, and continue building companies that address significant unmet medical needs.
In parallel, DiNAQOR Group AG announced the appointment of Josef El Andari, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer of DiNAQOR AG. Dr. El Andari has been with DiNAQOR for more than four years and has played a central role in advancing the company's scientific platforms, including the development of the closed-loop perfusion technology from early concept through publication in leading peer-reviewed journals. His expertise spans genomic medicine, translational research, and advanced viral vector technologies, with a particular focus on AAV design and bioengineering.
Dr. El Andari commented that over the past four years, DiNAQOR has evolved into a uniquely integrated innovation engine for advanced therapies. He expressed honor in taking on the role of Chief Scientific Officer and continuing to work with teams and partners to translate rigorous science into therapies with real clinical impact. The ambition is not only to innovate, but to do so in a way that is scalable, clinically relevant, and aligned with the highest scientific standards.
DiNAQOR AG operates as a life science company builder, creating and scaling focused biotechnology companies around differentiated technology platforms. In addition to DiNATEQ AG, DINAQOR has demonstrated its company-building and value-creation capabilities through successful strategic transactions, including the recent M&A of DiNAMIQS, a specialized adeno-associated virus (AAV) manufacturing and development company. These milestones underscore DiNAQOR's ability to identify high-impact technologies, build dedicated operating companies around them, and realize value through partnerships and strategic transactions with global industry leaders. For more information visit https://www.dinaqor.com.
