Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> March 24, 2003

Una Ryan – Avant Immunotherapeutics Inc (avan)

UNA S. RYAN is President and Chief Executive Officer of AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded Massachusetts biotechnology company developing vaccines and immunotherapeutics for large high value markets including cholesterol management, cardiac surgery, infectious diseases, biodefense and food safety. Dr. Ryan is Research Professor of Medicine at the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, currently serves on the Board of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Whitehead Institute Board of Associates, and is 2004-2006 Chair of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. From 1990 to 1993 she held the position of Director of Health Sciences at Monsanto Company and was Research Professor of Surgery, Medicine and Cell Biology at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Ryan was Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami from 1980 to 1989 and Chief, Division of Vascular Cell Biology from 1986 to 1989. In 2002 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awarded Dr. Ryan the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to research, development and promotion of biotechnology. Profile
TWST: Would you begin with a brief historical sketch of AVANT

Immunotherapeutics and a picture of things as they are now?

Dr. Ryan: AVANT Immunotherapeutics was founded in 1998 when