Reaction Biology Announces Appointment of Richard S. Kollender to Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer

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Apr 04, 2022, 09:30 ET

MALVERN, Pa., April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Reaction Biology ("Reaction" or the "Company"), an industry-leading provider of drug discovery services, today announced the appointment of Richard S. Kollender to the positions of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Business Officer (CBO) and member of the Executive Committee, effective immediately, to further strengthen the leadership team and support the Company's next stage of growth.

"We are thrilled to welcome Rich, a seasoned healthcare finance and operations executive, to the Executive Committee of Reaction Biology," said John H. Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Reaction Biology. "Having managed large, global biopharmaceutical and life sciences organizations over the course of his career, Rich brings invaluable expertise and insights to Reaction in our Company's evolution as a world leader in drug discovery services."

Mr. Kollender has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining Reaction Biology, he served as Strongbridge BioPharma's President and Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for strengthening the company's financial position and footprint as a successful rare disease organization until it was acquired by Xeris Biopharma, Inc., in October 2021. From 2003, he served first as a Principal and then as Partner of Quaker Partners Management, LP, a healthcare investment firm. In addition, from August 2016 through September 2018, he served as Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Rapid Micro Biosystems, a Quaker Partners' portfolio company, where he played a key role in the business expansion and adoption of the company's Growth Direct™ System. Previously, he held positions in sales, marketing, and worldwide business development at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and served as investment manager at its corporate venture capital arm, S.R. One. He began his career as a Certified Public Accountant, initially with KPMG. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Restorative Therapies. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Rapid Micro Biosystems (NASDAQ: RPID) and as an adjunct faculty member at Lehigh University. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Strongbridge BioPharma, Insmed, NuPathe, Inc., and Celator Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in addition to several other privately held companies. He holds an MBA and a certificate degree in the graduate program in health administration and policy, both from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in accounting from Franklin and Marshall College.

"Reaction Biology is entering a pivotal phase in its development as a preferred partner to biopharmaceutical companies in the exciting and ever-changing area of drug discovery," said Richard S. Kollender. "I look forward to drawing from my corporate finance and business operations experience to deliver value to our customers, as well as the provider and patient communities who seek safe and effective therapeutic innovations."

About Reaction Biology
Founded in 2001, Reaction is a contract research organization (CRO) that provides a full suite of drug discovery services to over 1,800 biopharmaceutical customers worldwide. Reaction's capabilities include functional biochemical assays, compound screening, a wide range of mechanistic and biophysical studies, and an extensive array of cell-based assays. Reaction maintains one of the largest panels of kinase assays in the world with over 750 unique assays. The Company performs over 5,000 client projects annually with its over 2,000 validated assays. The Company has lab facilities in Malvern, PA, and Freiburg, Germany, with approximately 130 employees.

Contact:
Elixir Health Public Relations
Lindsay Rocco
+1 862-596-1304
[email protected]

SOURCE Reaction Biology