New leadership for biotechnology company regenHU

In his 19-year career as a strategic business manager, Simon MacKenzie has come to be identified by his efforts to generate collaborative alliances in biotechnology. His most recent crusade has him leading regenHU, a Switzerland-based biotechnology company, well known for the development of biomedical products for regenerative medicine and drug discovery. 

The 49-year-old biochemist and scientific business manager will follow in the footsteps of the company’s founder and former CEO Marc Thurner, who played an instrumental part in creating and shaping the business and recently left to create another company, mimiX Biotherapeutics, also in the field of biotechnology.

Early in November regenHU’s Board of Directors unanimously decided to appoint MacKenzie as the new CEO of regenHU, along with the required approval from the Swiss-based Nivalis Group, their investor.

“I thank Marc Thurner for his important contributions to the company and wish him the best of success for the future. The Board is confident that Simon MacKenzie is ideally suited to explore the extraordinary growth potential the global market has to offer,” said Christophe Fragnière, regenHU President of the Board of Directors.

It is actually a very interesting time for bioprinting technology to flourish, with just over 110 established companies worldwide paving the way for the future of research, science, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. The technology is also heavily entering the world of medicine and pharma with 3D bioprinters, medical devices, and anatomical modeling and design, along with researchers printing bioinks and doctors becoming involved with engineers to develop point-of-care 3D printing. Moreover, the bioprinting environment in Europe keeps growing, with the continent being home to 35% of all bioprinting firms.

Located at Villaz-St-Pierre, regenHU was founded in 2007, focusing on the potential of bioprinting in the therapeutical area. Since then, their engineers have developed 3D bioprinting solutions, including the BioFactory which is a high-end machine for industrial applications, as well as biomaterials for both soft and hard tissue engineering and drug discovery. Like a few other companies in the field, regenHU is also committed to helping spread the knowledge and engage young scientists in bioprinting technologies, so they have also created their very own Bioprinting Academy where newcomers learn all about bioprinting technologies, acquiring hands-on expertise in operating different 3D bioprinters, and even performing printability tests of biomaterials.

MacKenzie’s addition will add a wealth of experience in biotech and Medtech, since he has held senior positions in strategic business development in the domains of pharma, drug discovery, biotech and research, and has published several scientific papers. His last position was as Chief Business Officer at Censo Biotechnologies and Business Development Consultant at the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Center. Originally from the United Kingdom, MacKenzie has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Dundee and completed two industrial collaborative post-docs in inflammatory, oncology and metabolic disease. In the past he has worked for organizations in Japan, the UK, and the US, which gives him an extensive international network, that could help in gaining multinational alliances with academic institutions, pharma, biotech and contract research organizations (CROs provide support to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries in the form of research services outsourced on a contract basis).

“I am honored and excited to join regenHU, considered a true pioneer and innovator in a market since its infancy. I look forward to working with an ambitious and passionate team that is driven to enhance our unique technology and to create exceptional value for our clients, partners, and stakeholders. Together we will continue to grow the business into a global leader shaping the biotechnology industry,” said MacKenzie.

regenHU has already sold and delivered more than 100 printers to academic institutes and private companies active in the medical, cosmetic and biotechnological fields. With partners at Nanyang Technological University, in Singapore; Tel Aviv University, in Israel; the University of Glasgow, Scotland; the University of Virginia, and more.

Nivalis Group CEO, Nicolas Corsi, claims he looks forward to “working with Simon MacKenzie who brings to regenHU the perfect mix of scientific knowledge, strategic insight, and business acumen. His passion for creating value from novel technologies and his entrepreneurial mindset will accelerate regenHU’s journey in becoming the world’s preeminent player in the Life Sciences industry.”

[Image credit: regenHU]