Veteran biotech investment banker to lead corporate strategy and capital formation as Strand scales programmable mRNA platform and executes its clinical strategy
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Strand Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering programmable mRNA medicines, today announced the appointment of Kunal Bhatia as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Bhatia brings 15 years of investment banking experience, driving fundraising, business development, and M&A for over 100 public and private biopharmaceutical companies.
"With early validation of our platform in the clinic, we have built a pipeline from solid tumor immuno-oncology to systemic delivery to in vivo cell therapy. As we enter the next chapter, we’ve identified a financial leader who matches Strand’s ambition and momentum,” said Jake Becraft, PhD, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Strand Therapeutics. “Having worked alongside some of the most ambitious biotech builders through capital raises and transactions, Kunal knows what it takes to scale innovative platform companies through their critical growth stages."
Prior to joining Strand, Mr. Bhatia served as interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer to a portfolio of private life sciences companies. Previously, he was a Managing Director in the Healthcare Investment Banking Group at Cowen, where he was integral to the growth of the firm's life sciences franchise, and before that, held investment banking roles at Jefferies and Credit Suisse.
"Strand is at an inflection point, with clinical momentum, a growing pipeline, and the kind of investor syndicate that reflects real conviction in the platform,” said Mr. Bhatia. “I'm looking forward to working with the team to build on that foundation as the company enters its next phase."
The appointment follows several corporate and clinical milestones over the past year, including a $153 million Series B led by Kinnevik with participation from Regeneron Ventures, Amgen Ventures, and Eli Lilly; four leadership additions across its executive team and Board of Directors; and initial Phase 1 data for STX-001 in patients with advanced solid tumors who had exhausted other treatment options. As Strand advances toward clinical entry for STX-003 in mid-2026 and continues to expand its platform across modalities and indications, Mr. Bhatia’s financial and strategic expertise positions the company to execute on that trajectory.
About Strand Therapeutics
Strand Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering programmable mRNA therapeutics to unlock the full potential of genetic medicines. Strand is applying its proprietary Signal Stack platform, which integrates EverScript circular RNA, AmpliScript self-replicating RNA, SignalPath targeted delivery, and logic-driven SignalLock genetic circuits to enable precise control of therapeutic activity across tissues and cell types and overcome foundational limitations in targeting, durability, and safety.
Strand is advancing a pipeline with an initial focus on oncology and autoimmune disease. Its initial program, STX-001, an intratumorally delivered LNP-encapsulated self-replicating RNA expressing IL-12, has demonstrated preliminary evidence of systemic immune activation and anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors who have progressed on prior therapies. Building on this early clinical validation, intravenously delivered STX-003 is designed for tumor-targeted expression and avoidance of off-target expression. STX-003, which is expected to enter the clinic in mid-2026, has the potential to be a major step forward for the fields of genetic medicine and oncology. Strand is also advancing STX-005, an in vivo CAR-T program designed to enable controlled, durable expression and repeat dosing. Founded by MIT synthetic biology pioneers, Strand has raised over $250 million and is headquartered in Boston, MA. Learn more at https://www.strandtx.com, and follow Strand on LinkedIn and X at @strandtx.
Contacts
Media Contact
Thermal for Strand Therapeutics
strandtx@thermalpr.com
