Salute e Benessere
ViVac Appoints Keren Leshem as Chief Executive Officer, Strengthening Leadership to Advance RNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Immunotherapy Platform
Leshem, a , has been recognized by and as one of the most influential leaders. She brings almost three decades of experience leading clinical-stage life science companies and translating breakthrough research into commercial success.
ViVac's origins trace back to the reengineering of viruses — one of nature's most powerful immune activators — into a . The company's platform now applies this viral logic to oncology, creating a new class of programmable cancer immunotherapies that combine .
Under Leshem's leadership, ViVac will accelerate its , which includes programs in — indications representing significant unmet needs in tumors resistant to conventional treatments.
"ViVac's science represents a paradigm shift in oncology — using synthetic RNA to mimic the potency of viral immunity, but with the control and safety of modern nanomedicine," said , Chief Executive Officer. "It's an honor to lead a team of world-class scientists and investors as we build the next generation of RNA-based cancer immunotherapies."
The company's core leadership team includes:
Dr. Lior Nissim , Head of the Biomedical Synthetic Biology Lab, who pioneered the first synthetic gene circuit for precise targeting of cancer cells;
Prof. Chezy Barenholz, a long-time leader in liposome technology and nanomedicine, co-inventor of Doxil®—the world's first FDA-approved liposomal nanodrug—and among the world's most cited scientists in 2024, ranking in the top 0.035% globally; and
Dr. Ron Lahav , Chief Technology Officer and expert in RNA delivery.
ViVac is backed by , including , who bring extensive experience in biotech innovation, M&A and global commercialization.
"Keren's leadership, coupled with this exceptional team of pioneers, positions ViVac at the forefront of RNA and nanomedicine innovation," said . "We're building on decades of research to develop novel therapies that can truly outsmart cancer."
"There will come a time when future generations look back in disbelief that cancer was once a leading cause of death," said . "Our work brings that future closer — where synthetic biology, RNA innovation and highly effective RNA delivery systems turn cancer into a curable condition."
The global cancer immunotherapy market is projected to exceed , with significant growth driven by next-generation RNA-based approaches. ViVac's modular RNA–LNP platform is designed for scalability across multiple tumor types, offering the potential to rapidly expand beyond its initial indications into a wide range of cancers.
ViVac is an early-stage biotechnology company pioneering to develop RNA-based immunotherapies that safely eradicate cancer from within. Built from two world-leading labs at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem , ViVac's platform reprograms RNA to behave like a virus — activating localized immune responses without viral replication.
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Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2828796/ViVac_Appoints_Keren_Leshem.jpg
Keren Leshem , CEO & Board Director
kerenl@vivacpharma.com
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