PharmaEssentia USA Appoints Dr. Barry Flannelly as Independent Director, Strengthening Leadership Amid Expanding Global Ambitions
PharmaEssentia USA Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of PharmaEssentia Corporation (TWSE: 6446), today announced the appointment of Barry Flannelly, Pharm.D., MBA, as an Independent Director to its Board. This appointment marks a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing journey to broaden its leadership capabilities and accelerate its mission of transforming care for patients with serious hematologic and oncologic diseases worldwide.
PharmaEssentia Corporation, headquartered in Taiwan, has built its global reputation as a biopharmaceutical innovator focused on delivering next-generation biologics for hematology and oncology. With a deep foundation in molecular biology and biologic drug development, the company is recognized for its commitment to scientific excellence and patient-centric innovation. The addition of Dr. Flannelly to PharmaEssentia USA’s Board signals a continued investment in strong commercial and strategic leadership as the company prepares for its next phase of growth and market expansion.
A Strategic Appointment at a Transformative Moment
“We are pleased to welcome Barry to our Board of Directors at this exciting time for PharmaEssentia,” said Ko-Chung Lin, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PharmaEssentia Corporation. “Barry’s deep commercial expertise, particularly in the hematology and oncology sectors, along with his proven track record of guiding global launches and shaping long-term growth strategies, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our global presence. His insight will also strengthen our efforts as we lay the foundation for future product launches and explore potential indication expansions for our pipeline.”
Dr. Flannelly joins PharmaEssentia with more than 25 years of leadership experience across the global biopharmaceutical landscape. Throughout his distinguished career, he has developed an extensive background in commercial strategy, business development, medical affairs, and operational leadership. His experience spans multiple therapeutic areas, but his expertise in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs)—a group of chronic blood cancers—makes him particularly well suited to support PharmaEssentia’s ambitions in this specialized and rapidly evolving field.
A Career Defined by Leadership and Impact
Most recently, Dr. Flannelly served as Executive Vice President and General Manager, North America, at Incyte Corporation, a global biopharmaceutical company recognized for its pioneering work in oncology and hematology. During his tenure, which extended through January 2025, he was instrumental in driving Incyte’s regional strategy, overseeing commercial operations, market development, and cross-functional coordination for its expanding portfolio of oncology and inflammation products.
Under his leadership, Incyte achieved significant milestones, including the continued growth of its MPN franchise, which included therapies that transformed the treatment landscape for patients with rare hematologic disorders. His contributions helped Incyte establish a strong foothold in the competitive oncology market and strengthen relationships with healthcare providers, patient advocacy groups, and regulatory bodies.
Before joining Incyte, Dr. Flannelly held a series of increasingly senior roles across several of the world’s leading pharmaceutical organizations, including Sanofi S.A., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Abraxis Oncology, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Nektar Therapeutics. Across these positions, he cultivated a multifaceted understanding of the industry—from clinical research and regulatory strategy to market access and global commercialization.
In each role, Dr. Flannelly demonstrated a rare ability to bridge scientific innovation with real-world patient needs, guiding cross-disciplinary teams to bring novel therapies from development to market. He played an instrumental role in the successful U.S. and global launches of multiple oncology therapies across a wide range of cancer types, including breast, prostate, lung, and gastric cancers. His commercial acumen, combined with his clinical insight as a trained pharmacist, has earned him recognition as one of the industry’s most respected voices in oncology commercialization and patient advocacy.
Educational Background and Professional Recognition
Dr. Flannelly’s extensive educational foundation underpins his approach to leadership and innovation. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, one of the oldest and most respected pharmacy schools in the United States. Complementing his scientific training, he holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the University of Baltimore, which provided him with the strategic and operational frameworks that have guided his business leadership throughout his career. He also earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, where his passion for patient care and pharmacological science first began.
In addition to his corporate leadership roles, Dr. Flannelly currently serves on the Board of Directors for Protara Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative therapies for rare and specialty diseases. His involvement in multiple organizations reflects a deep commitment to advancing patient care and supporting innovation across the healthcare ecosystem.
A Shared Vision for Patient-Centered Innovation
Upon his appointment, Dr. Flannelly expressed enthusiasm for joining PharmaEssentia’s Board, underscoring his alignment with the company’s mission to redefine standards of care for patients living with hematologic malignancies and other cancers.
“It’s a privilege to join PharmaEssentia’s Board as the company continues to strengthen its leadership in myeloproliferative neoplasms and other cancers,” said Dr. Flannelly. “Having spent much of my career focused on advancing therapies for patients living with MPNs, I’m eager to contribute my experience to support the company’s continued growth and broader ambitions to deliver meaningful innovation for patients. PharmaEssentia’s science, coupled with its commitment to addressing unmet medical needs, represents a powerful combination that I’m honored to help advance.”
His appointment reinforces PharmaEssentia’s strategic focus on scientific excellence, global collaboration, and patient impact—the three pillars that define the company’s identity as a modern biopharmaceutical leader. With several ongoing and planned programs in hematology and oncology, PharmaEssentia continues to evolve from a research-driven organization into a fully integrated global biopharmaceutical company with capabilities spanning discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization.
PharmaEssentia’s Growing Global Footprint
Founded in 2003 by a team of scientists and industry veterans, PharmaEssentia has grown from a research-focused startup in Taipei to an international organization with operations across Asia, Europe, and North America. Its U.S. headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts, serves as a strategic hub for commercial operations, clinical development, and regulatory engagement in the United States—one of the most important markets for hematology and oncology innovation.
The company’s flagship therapy, ROPEGinterferon alfa-2b-njft (marketed as BESREMi® in the U.S.), is a long-acting, mono-pegylated interferon approved for the treatment of polycythemia vera (PV), a chronic and rare MPN. The therapy has been recognized for its durable efficacy, favorable safety profile, and convenient dosing schedule, setting a new standard for patient management in PV.
PharmaEssentia continues to invest in expanding the clinical utility of its proprietary pegylation platform, exploring new therapeutic areas and indications across oncology, immunology, and rare diseases. The company’s robust R&D pipeline and its commitment to scientific integrity and patient benefit have positioned it as one of the most dynamic emerging biopharma players in the global market.
Strengthening the Board for the Future
The appointment of Dr. Flannelly adds significant commercial and operational depth to PharmaEssentia USA’s Board of Directors. His experience will complement the expertise of existing board members, who collectively represent decades of leadership across research, clinical development, finance, and corporate governance. The enhanced board composition reflects PharmaEssentia’s proactive approach to corporate governance and strategic oversight as it continues to scale operations and prepare for long-term sustainability.
According to Dr. Lin, this addition reflects more than a personnel decision—it is a strategic investment in leadership for the future.
“PharmaEssentia is at a pivotal juncture,” Lin said. “As we advance our mission to deliver best-in-class therapies for patients around the world, we must continue to build an organization that reflects both scientific rigor and commercial excellence. Barry’s leadership experience, especially his deep understanding of the MPN landscape, will guide us as we strengthen our presence in the U.S. and beyond.”
Driving Growth Through Purpose and Innovation
PharmaEssentia’s growth trajectory is fueled by a clear purpose: to transform the treatment paradigm for patients with serious hematologic and oncologic diseases. The company’s long-term strategy emphasizes innovation at every stage—from molecule design and clinical development to market execution and patient support.
With Dr. Flannelly’s appointment, PharmaEssentia is better positioned to execute its next wave of strategic initiatives, including:
- Expanding commercial reach in the United States and Europe through continued investments in market access, partnerships, and education.
- Pursuing new indications for its lead assets based on emerging clinical data and ongoing trials.
- Advancing its biologics pipeline, leveraging its proprietary pegylation platform to develop differentiated therapies with improved pharmacokinetic profiles.
- Enhancing corporate governance and board diversity to align with global best practices in biopharma leadership.
- Fostering partnerships with research institutions, advocacy organizations, and industry collaborators to accelerate innovation for rare and underserved patient populations.
These initiatives underscore the company’s belief that long-term success in biopharma requires both scientific excellence and patient-centered execution.
A Future-Oriented Perspective
The inclusion of experienced industry leaders like Dr. Flannelly reflects PharmaEssentia’s recognition that the path forward in modern biopharma demands not only innovation but also executional excellence, global insight, and strong stakeholder trust. His proven ability to navigate regulatory environments, optimize commercial strategies, and lead high-performing teams will play a vital role as PharmaEssentia continues to evolve into a global force in oncology and hematology.
The company’s leadership envisions a future in which PharmaEssentia becomes synonymous with precision biologics—therapies that combine molecular sophistication with practical benefits for patients and providers alike. With its combination of strong R&D capabilities, global reach, and newly strengthened leadership, PharmaEssentia stands well positioned to achieve this vision.
About PharmaEssentia
PharmaEssentia Corporation (TWSE: 6446) is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, and delivering novel biologics for the treatment of hematologic and oncologic diseases. Founded in Taiwan, the company combines deep scientific expertise, advanced manufacturing technology, and a commitment to patient impact to drive meaningful innovation. PharmaEssentia’s proprietary PEGylation platform enables the development of biologics with improved pharmacologic properties, enhancing efficacy, safety, and patient convenience.
The company’s U.S. subsidiary, PharmaEssentia USA Corporation, headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, leads the company’s commercial operations, regulatory activities, and clinical collaborations across North America.
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