Lutris Pharma, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving anti-cancer therapies, has appointed Sumant Ramachandra, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer and a member of its Board of Directors.

Ramachandra succeeds Co-Founder Noa Shelach, Ph.D., who remains with the company in the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer.

About Dr. Ramachandra

Ramachandra most recently served as the Founder of SR Global Health, LLC, a healthcare focused advisory Inc. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of ImmPACT Bio USA Inc., where he led the company’s transformation into a leading, clinical-stage cell therapy company and oversaw its successful acquisition by Lyell Immunopharma Inc.

Before ImmPACT Bio USA Inc., among other positions, Ramachandra served as President of Baxter International Inc.’s Global Pharmaceuticals business and as Senior Vice President R&D and Chief Science and Technology Officer. Earlier career positions include Senior Vice President, Head of R&D at Pfizer Essential Health and Chief Scientific Officer at Hospira, where he played a pivotal role in the development and commercialization of biosimilars and advanced drug delivery systems.

Ramachandra holds a M.D. and a Ph.D. in Immuno-Oncology from Rutgers University, where he also earned his undergraduate degree, and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a named inventor on multiple patents, a published author in scientific and policy journals, and has been recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders (2024-2025).

“I am honored to join Lutris Pharma at such an important time in the company’s evolution,” Ramachandra stated. “The company’s focus on improving the effectiveness of anti-cancer therapy while preserving patients’ quality of life is absolutely critical and addresses a large unmet need in oncology. The Orphan Drug Designation for our lead program underscores the promise of our approach, and I look forward to working with Noa and the team to bring these important therapies to patients.”