Everest Medicines has significantly bolstered its research and development leadership team, announcing the appointment of two high-profile industry veterans to spearhead its global messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutic initiatives. Dr. Lakshmi Srinivasan has been named Senior Vice President and Head of Translational Medicine, while Dr. Brandon Coder joins the company as Vice President of Translational Sciences & Discovery.
These strategic hires are intended to accelerate the evolution of the company’s proprietary mRNA platform and advance its clinical pipeline. As the biopharmaceutical industry continues to lean into the potential of mRNA beyond infectious disease—specifically in the realm of oncology—Everest is positioning itself to compete on a global scale.
“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Srinivasan and Dr. Coder,” said Yifang Wu, Chairman of the board at Everest Medicines. “Their deep experience in cancer vaccine research, translational medicine, and clinical development will be highly valuable as we scale our mRNA capabilities. Their appointments reflect our continued commitment to investing in world-class talent and advancing our global mRNA strategy.”
The addition of Srinivasan and Coder comes at a critical juncture for Everest as it prepares to move two core programs through significant clinical milestones. The company is currently prioritizing EVM16, a personalized mRNA therapeutic cancer vaccine, for which a Phase Ib trial is being planned. Additionally, the firm is advancing EVM14, an off-the-shelf tumor-associated antigen mRNA cancer vaccine, which is on track to reach Phase I study completion by early 2027.
Both executives arrive at Everest with extensive backgrounds in mRNA research, having recently concluded tenures at Moderna Therapeutics, a global leader in the field. Dr. Srinivasan served as Executive Director and Head of Oncology Translational Medicine at Moderna from 2023 to 2025. Her career includes significant leadership roles at Repertoire Immune Medicines, Neon Therapeutics—which was acquired by BioNTech—and Sanofi Oncology. This breadth of experience in immune-oncology and clinical strategy is expected to be vital in navigating the complex regulatory and scientific hurdles associated with personalized cancer vaccines.
Dr. Coder also brings substantial expertise from his tenure at Moderna, where he served as Associate Scientific Director of Cancer Vaccine Research from 2019 to 2025. Prior to that, he held the position of Associate Director of Immuno-Oncology Research at Advaxis Immunotherapies. His focus on the discovery and early-stage scientific development of cancer vaccines aligns directly with Everest’s goal of bringing more off-the-shelf and personalized solutions to the market.
As Everest Medicines looks toward the next three years of clinical development, the company’s investment in this specialized talent underscores its ambition to become a major player in the mRNA space. By integrating seasoned leaders who have previously steered mRNA programs through the pipeline, Everest is signaling a robust commitment to realizing the long-term innovation potential of its vaccine platform.
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