SAN DIEGO – (November 4, 2010) – Two prominent life science executives with records of stellar achievement and strong business acumen in San Diego’s biotechnology and medical device arenas were recently elected to the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology’s Board of Directors.
William Rohn, former chief operating officer of Biogen Idec, a $4 billion Fortune 500 company and leading global biotech, and Rhonda Rhyne, former president of CardioDynamics, a highly successful cardiovascular medical technology company, have joined the Institute’s Board.
“Both of these individuals are life science leaders of the highest caliber with experience in the successful development of new therapies and medical devices that have improved the lives of people around the world,” said Mitchell Kronenberg, Ph.D., La Jolla Institute president & chief scientific officer. “Their knowledge and insight will be an important asset as we work to transition our research discoveries from the lab into new treatments for some of the world’s most debilitating diseases.”
A nonprofit organization, the La Jolla Institute is the only research institute in San Diego and one of the few in the world focused on finding causes and new treatments for disease based on harnessing the power of the immune system.
Mr. Rohn, who has served on a number of corporate boards, said the La Jolla Institute marks his first foray into serving on a nonprofit board. “I’m moving toward more of a public service mode in my activities,” he said. “The La Jolla Institute attracted me because of their world-class science and the obvious dedication of its researchers. They are not only well-focused on their mission, but they are living the mission of understanding the human immune system, which I believe will be incredibly productive in uncovering new therapies against disease.”
Mr. Rohn said his personal experience as a biopharmaceutical executive has shown him the immune system’s incredible potential for combating disease. “My time in industry has convinced me that a number of important diseases are immune-driven,” said Mr. Rohn, who played a key role in Biogen’s 1997 launch of Rituxan?, which today is the world’s most prescribed treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. An immune-based therapy, Rituxan? works by using a monoclonal antibody to selectively deplete certain immune cells, and was the first monoclonal antibody approved in the U.S. for the treatment of cancer. In 2006, Rituxan? also received FDA approval for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
“Many important therapies introduced in the past number of years, such as Rituxan’s use in rheumatoid arthritis, have been biologics designed to intervene at various stages of the immune cascade to stop or reduce symptoms and block disease progression,” said Mr. Rohn. “I believe the immune system will likely reveal many therapies for decades to come. I am pleased to join the La Jolla Institute’s Board in supporting that effort.”
Mr. Rohn has over 30 years of management experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, including more than 10 years in executive leadership positions at IDEC Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec, where he served as chief operating officer (COO) until his retirement in 2005. He joined IDEC in 1993 as Senior Vice President, Commercial and Corporate Development and served in several executive positions before becoming president in 2002. The following year Biogen and IDEC merged, becoming the third-largest biotechnology company in the world.
New board member Ms. Rhyne, who has focused much of her career on improving the lives of cardiovascular patients, said she is also excited by the Institute’s immune system focus, particularly as it relates to heart disease and diabetes. The La Jolla Institute is one of only a handful of research institutes worldwide with a division specifically targeting immune-based approaches to understanding heart disease. The Institute also recently opened a research center dedicated exclusively to finding new treatments or a cure for type 1 diabetes.
“I have spent a significant portion of my career focused on improving care for heart disease patients, which is a leading cause of death and also have had a long-term interest in diabetes, which is the 7th leading cause of death and can lead to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, and amputations,” said Ms. Rhyne. “The impact of the La Jolla Institute’s research places them among the leading research institutes in the world, and it is exciting and an honor to have an opportunity to serve on their board of directors.”
Ms. Rhyne has more than 25 years experience in health care with both public and private industry companies, as well as experience as a clinical pharmacist. She moved to San Diego in 1995, when she was recruited to serve as president of CardioDynamics. She led CardioDynamics’ dramatic rise from a small startup to a multi-million dollar organization, which was acquired by SonoSite, Inc. in 2009. During her years as president, CardioDynamics was acknowledged with Deloitte’s “Tech Fast 50 Award” for the 50 Fastest Growing Tech/Life Science Companies in Southern California for 9 years.
Currently, she serves as chairman and CEO of the Association for Innovative Cardiovascular Advancements, whose mission is to enhance the lives of cardiovascular patients by fostering research and education of innovative cardiovascular technologies. She is also on the board of directors for Athena San Diego, a nonprofit organization for executive women, and recently served as co-chair for Circle of Red for the American Heart Association’s 2010 Go Red for Women fundraiser. She is also on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Washington State University’s College of Pharmacy.
Ms. Rhyne has received several awards over the years, including Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award in Medical Products in 2003, and the San Diego Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Award in 2005.
About La Jolla Institute
Founded in 1988, the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology is a biomedical research nonprofit focused on improving human health through increased understanding of the immune system. Its scientists carry out research seeking new knowledge leading to the prevention of disease through vaccines and the treatment and cure of infectious diseases, cancer and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 (juvenile) diabetes, Crohn’s disease and asthma. La Jolla Institute’s research staff includes more than 100 Ph.D.s and M.D.s. For more information, go to www.liai.org
