Decibel taps ex-Biogen exec veep Holtzman as CEO

Decibel Therapeutics said earlier this month it tapped former Biogen Idec (NSDQ:BIIB) corporate development exec veep Steven Holtzman as its new chief executive, taking over for interim CEO Kevin Starr.

Prior to his time with Biogen, Holtzman helped found and operated as CEO and board chair for Infinity Pharmaceuticals. Starr will stay on with the company to serve as board chair.

“Steve is a recognized leader in the development and growth of successful, product-driven biotechnology companies, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team. Steve’s deep experience in building and leading organizations, business development, drug discovery and R&D makes him the ideal individual to cultivate our culture, team and science to pioneer the development of new therapies for the millions of people with hearing disorders,” Starr said in prepared remarks.

“Hearing loss is a profound medical, societal and human issue that affects millions of people. Through my personal experiences with close family members, I’ve witnessed the impact of hearing loss on quality of life, including how it impedes the ability to use spoken language and music as means of self-expression and communication. The early work of Decibel’s world leading founders and Third Rock Ventures, coupled with the company’s tremendous team, provides a solid foundation to develop a hearing platform to molecularly map cochlear pathology with auditory dysfunction. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on building companies that make meaningful medicines, and I look forward to partnering with and growing this team as we aim to produce a pipeline of breakthrough therapies for people with hearing loss disorders,” Holtzman said in a press release.

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