Strengthening Management Foundations for Global Business Expansion
Jason Sieger will continue to serve as COO. This allows the company to maintain a dual leadership structure.
Additionally, Eckhardt Steinhuber, who previously served as the CEO, will continue to be a director of the company and will also serve as the CEO of our subsidiary, Innovacell AG.
I vividly remember when I first focused on the development pipeline of the predecessor company, “Innovacell Biotechnologie AG,” back in October 2015. Since then, I have supported the company as a consultant in regulatory affairs, organizational restructuring, fundraising, and strategic planning for five years starting in 2017. Since joining the company last July, I have served as a director for nine months, witnessing Innovacell’s journey over a total of seven years.
During these seven years, I have grown to strongly believe in the potential of the regenerative medicine products we are developing. I have seen the dedication of our research and development team who believe in this potential, the manufacturing department that has enhanced the quality of the processes for producing investigational drugs, the business development team that defines the company’s strategic direction, and the management team that supports all of this. I have also witnessed the enthusiasm and foundation cultivated by all our staff in Japan and Austria.
Considering this enthusiasm, the foundation we’ve built, and the patients eagerly awaiting new treatment options, I feel a profound sense of responsibility as I assume the role of CEO.
Moving forward, I will dedicate myself to meeting the expectations of all stakeholders, including patients, shareholders, and employees. As someone who has experienced chronic illness, I will always prioritize a “patient-first” approach and am committed to supporting Innovacell’s future.
Comment from Jason David Sieger, COO of Innovacell Inc.
It has been about 15 years since I met Colin at Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting, and nearly a decade since we established CJ PARTNERS, an advisory firm focused on regenerative medicine. I believe our partnership is truly unique.
In February of last year, we transformed Innovacell into a Japanese company through a triangular merger. We are now at a critical juncture as we ramp up efforts in clinical development, business development, and preparing for our public listing and fundraising. I am excited to work alongside Colin as we drive Innovacell’s growth forward.
Profile of Colin Novick
Colin Novick grew up in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, from the age of two and received his education in Japanese public schools until the completion of junior high school. He then attended an international school in Yokohama for high school before proceeding to Cornell University in the United States. During his freshman year, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which sparked his interest in cell and gene therapies that could potentially treat this disease.
After graduating from university, he joined Tohmatsu Consulting LLC (now Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting) in 2007 and later moved to Nikko Cordial Securities Co., Ltd. (now SMBC Nikko Securities) in 2010.
In late 2012, he co-founded CJ PARTNERS Inc. with Jason Sieger, providing consulting and advisory services in regulatory affairs and strategy for regenerative medicine products, ahead of the implementation of the revised Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act in Japan.
In July 2021, he was appointed as a director of Innovacell Inc., a domestic biotech venture developing regenerative medical products for incontinence, and continues in this role.
He also serves as a director of CMAX Clinical Research Pty. Ltd., a clinical trial facility in Australia (since December 2016), and as a director of DiscGenics, Inc., a U.S.-based company developing regenerative medical products (since August 2020).