Leadership
Meet the team
Meenu Chhabra Karson
Executive Chair
Executive Chair
Ms. Chhabra Karson brings over 20 years of experience in the global biopharmaceutical industry spanning leadership roles in both private and public large pharmaceutical as well as small biotech companies. Her successful track record includes raising more than $500 million in private and public capital, driving strategic transactions delivering partnerships in value greater than $2 billion, meeting and accelerating value-generating milestones, and developing high-performing organizations.
Since July 2023, Ms. Chhabra Karson has served as the executive chairperson of Samsara Therapeutics. Ms. Chhabra Karson is on the board of Macrogenics (NASDAQ:MGNX) and is a member of the audit committee. She also serves as non-executive chairperson for Harness Therapeutics. Ms. Chhabra Karson has been a biotech CEO for 15 years at Proteostasis Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PTI) and Allozyne, Inc. and was Chief Business Officer at BioXell SpA, (SWX:BXLN). Earlier in her career, she held roles of increasing responsibility at Novartis based in Switzerland.
Timothy Piser, PhD
Head of R&D
Head of R&D
Dr. Timothy Piser is a neuropharmacologist with more than 25 years of experience leading neuroscience drug discovery and development in large public pharmaceutical companies and private VC-funded start-up biotech. During his early career at AstraZeneca, he led drug discovery programs in psychiatry and neurology through IND enabling studies and a global drug development program in Treatment Resistant Depression through Phase 2 clinical trials. More recently, as CSO at Cadent Therapeutics, and EIR at Atlas Venture, he led discovery and clinical development of NMDA receptor modulators in Depression and Schizophrenia, and SK channel modulators for Spinocerebellar Ataxia, leading to the acquisition of Cadent by Novartis. Dr. Piser holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Minnesota
Marija Zecevic, PhD
Chief Business Officer
Chief Business Officer
Dr. Marija Zecevic is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of experience in the biotech industry including both public and private companies across the US and Europe. Based in Boston, she has held various C-suite roles at a number of clinical stage biotechs including Proteostasis Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PTI), Allozyne, and BioXell (SWX:BXLN) and has been instrumental in catalyzing multiple public and private financings and corporate partnerships. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Zurich and an M.S. in International Healthcare Management from Bocconi School of Management.
Our Investor
Apollo Health VC
Apollo Health Ventures is a transatlantic early-stage Venture Capital firm actively co-founding and investing in transformative healthcare companies targeting age-related diseases
Anela Vukoja
Anela joined Apollo in 2020 and has since been helping shape R&D strategy and clinical development plans in the fund’s venture creations. She takes an active role and supports companies both as an advisor and operator as needed. She currently serves on the board of directors of several companies including Samsara Therapeutics, Booster Therapeutics and Refoxy Pharmaceuticals. In addition, Anela helps evaluate new investment opportunities and initiates company creation projects, especially in the area of neurodegeneration and brain health. Before joining Apollo Health Ventures, she worked at a boutique consulting firm Catenion where she has managed international projects for Big Pharma and biotech upstarts regarding R&D strategy and advised top tier VC’s and hedge funds on their investment decisions. Anela holds a PhD in neurobiology from the Free University of Berlin and her work was published in top-ranked peer-reviewed journals.
Nils Regge
Nils co-founded Apollo Health Ventures in 2017 and is one of the most successful German investors and a serial entrepreneur with six exits since 2009. He utilizes his deal-making skills, impeccable business sense, and his expertise in growing early-stage startups to support the Apollo portfolio. Nils and the founding team have successfully raised two fund generations, hired the senior team, and led investments as well as follow-on investments in Apollo’s portfolio companies. Nils studied business in Hamburg and at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) in California, and he completed the EO Entrepreneurial Masters Program at MIT
