Anaveon Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointments of Eric Zanelli as Chief Scientific Officer and Jill Jene as Chief Business Officer

BASEL, Switzerland, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anaveon, a late-stage biotechnology company pioneering precision biologics to reprogram the immune system for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced the appointments of Eric Zanelli, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer and Jill Jene, Ph.D., MBA, as Chief Business Officer. These strategic C-suite additions bring deep scientific, translational, and business development expertise to accelerate Anaveon’s clinical advancement and pipeline expansion.

“We are delighted to welcome Eric and Jill to Anaveon’s executive team,” said Thaminda Ramanayake, Chief Executive Officer. “Eric’s proven track record in immunology, translational medicine, and regulatory strategy for autoimmune and rare disease programs, combined with Jill’s exceptional success in corporate strategy, deal-making, and value creation across immunology and neurology, perfectly complements our team. Together, they will drive our transition into clinical development, strengthen our immunology-focused pipeline, and position Anaveon for long-term growth and impact on patients’ lives.”

Jill Jene added: “I am thrilled to join Anaveon at this pivotal moment as we advance our lead immunology programs into the clinic. I look forward to partnering with Thaminda and the entire team to build strategic relationships, secure the resources needed for success, and deliver transformative, first-in-class immuno-therapies to patients living with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.”

Eric Zanelli commented: “I am excited to lead Anaveon’s talented scientific team and bring our lead asset ANV200, along with our broader pipeline of novel precision biologics, to patients who urgently need better and more targeted therapies. Our approach to reprogramming the immune system holds tremendous potential to address significant unmet needs in autoimmune diseases.”

About Eric Zanelli, Ph.D:

Eric Zanelli, Ph.D., brings over 25 years of executive and scientific leadership in biotechnology, specializing in immunology, autoimmune diseases, neuroimmunology, rare diseases, biomarkers, and translational medicine. He has played a key role in raising more than $200 million in venture capital.

As Founder and Head of Research at Allievex Corp. (2018–2024), he led preclinical and translational development for enzyme replacement therapies in Sanfilippo B syndrome. He developed biomarker strategies that secured FDA agreement on surrogate endpoints supporting accelerated approval. Previously, as founder of Déclion Holdings LLC, he invented the DEEP™ peptide vaccine platform and advanced a phospho-tau vaccine program partly financed by Biogen. At Peptimmune, Inc., he directed research teams that advanced peptide immune modulators into Phase Ib clinical trials in multiple sclerosis and out-licensed an orphan disease program to Orphan Europe.

Dr. Zanelli previously held senior scientific roles at Praecis Pharmaceuticals and Cardion Pharmaceuticals. He led a research group at Leiden University Medical Center focused on HLA genetics in autoimmune diseases and conducted postdoctoral research at the Mayo Clinic. He earned his Ph.D. in Immunology from Aix-Marseille University and is an inventor on multiple patents with more than 50 scientific publications.

About Jill Jene, Ph.D., MBA:

Jill Jene, Ph.D., MBA, brings more than 25 years of leadership in biopharmaceutical corporate strategy and business development. She has successfully led and closed over 50 transactions totaling more than $6 billion across immunology, neurology, oncology, pain, and women’s health.

Since founding Jene Advisors in 2021, she has served as fractional Chief Business Officer for several companies, driving strategy, partnerships, fundraising, and corporate transactions. She currently serves as a Board Director and Audit Committee member of Lipocine Inc. (NASDAQ: LPCN). Previously, she was VP and Head of Corporate Development at Adamas Pharmaceuticals, where she contributed to the company’s strategic plan and eventual sale to Supernus Pharmaceuticals. At PDL Biopharma and Depomed (now Assertio), she executed multiple high-value deals, including the $1.05 billion acquisition of Nucynta^® from Janssen.

Jill began her career in business development at Baxter International, 3M Pharmaceuticals, and Cell Genesys. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University, an MBA with Honors from DePaul University, and a B.S. in Chemistry from Bradley University (Cum Laude).

ENDS

Media contact:
Benz Advisory
Beatrix Benz
Email: beatrix.benz@anaveon.com
Tel: +41 79 256 77 73

About Anaveon:
Anaveon AG is a late-stage preclinical biotechnology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland focused on developing next-generation precision biologics that target central regulatory nodes of the immune system. The company’s engineered antibodies and cytokine-based therapies aim to selectively eliminate or reprogram pathogenic immune cells, restoring durable immune balance in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

For more information, visit >anaveon.com