Professor Alan Boyd, CEO of Boyds, has once again been recognised in the Advanced Medicine category of The Medicine Maker’s Power List, which celebrates pioneers driving progress and shaping the future of drug development.
The listing marks the second time Alan has received this recognition, having also been featured in the 2023 Power List.
Known for his pioneering work in gene and cell therapy, Alan led the development of Ark Therapeutics’ Cerepro, the first gene therapy submitted to the EMA for approval. Whilst Cerepro was not ultimately approved, it paved the way for future gene-based therapies and demonstrated the potential to turn DNA into an approvable medicine.
Quoted in the Power List, Alan said: “People said I was crazy to go from Zeneca to a small company with limited funding, working in the relatively new area of gene therapy, but I was fascinated by the opportunity to be involved in something like this at such an early stage. The question for me was how can we turn DNA into a medicine, make it (and make it consistently), and ensure it is safe and efficacious. Up until my time at Ark Therapeutics, all of the medicines I was developing were focused on treating the symptoms of a disease. I recognized that, if successful, gene and cell therapies would be able to treat the root cause of the disease.”
In 2005, Alan founded Boyds to support translating ideas into medicinal products. His work has resulted in the development of multiple approved medicines for various indications. Of the 26 approved cell and gene therapy products on both sides of the Atlantic, the team at Boyds has worked on 11 of them at some stage.
Alan’s repeated recognition in The Medicine Maker Power List highlights his lasting impact on the drug development industry, as well as his continued commitment to advancing medical science.
Find the full Power List on The Medicine Maker website here.
