Centauri Therapeutics appoints Dr. Debra Barker as Chief Medical Officer
Experienced clinical immunologist and global life science executive to support progression of lead candidate through the clinic
10 Jul 2025Industry news
Debra Barker, MD MSc, Chief Medical Officer, Centauri Therapeutics.
Centauri Therapeutics Limited has appointed Dr. Debra Barker as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). An experienced clinical immunologist with broad executive experience across both big pharma and biotech, Dr. Barker joins Centauri’s leadership team to advance therapeutic development pipelines and ensure the smooth progression of the Company’s lead candidate through Phase I clinical trials.
Centauri has been conducting regulatory preclinical activities following the selection of its first clinical candidate in the ABX-01 program in March 2025, to facilitate the transition to first-in-human studies for Gram-negative bacterial infections. The appointment of Dr. Barker as CMO is an integral part of this transition, bringing the clinical immunology expertise necessary to advance to a Phase I study and enabling the Company to streamline and optimise its clinical strategy.
Dr. Barker has more than 25 years’ experience in senior leadership and commercial positions across biotech and pharma, including Novartis, Roche, and GSK. Most notably, at Novartis, she held several senior scientific, operational and commercial roles over 17 years, including Development Head for Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Transplantation.
Dr. Barker also brings significant expertise as a biotech executive, having held Chief Medical Officer positions at Destiny Pharma and Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals AG. As Chief Medical and Development Officer for Swiss based Biotech Polyphor, she was the medical lead for the company’s highly successful IPO on the SIX Swiss.
Currently, Dr. Barker also serves as Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Scientific Committee for CureVac NV, as well as Non-Executive Director at Qureight Ltd. Dr. Barker holds a Medical Degree from the University of Cambridge.
Discussing her appointment, Debra Barker, said, “I am thrilled to join the Centauri team at this pivotal moment in the Company’s journey. The Alphamer platform has the potential to provide a groundbreaking approach to combat multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections, by harnessing the body's own immune system. This innovative strategy not only offers a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics but also addresses the escalating challenge of antimicrobial resistance. I look forward to contributing to the advancement of this novel immunotherapeutic through clinical development.”