Changes are afoot at Swiss company evitria: As of May, Dr. Stefan Schmidt will take over the helm of the company, which specializes in the production of recombinant antibodies for medicine and research.

Since 2010, evitria, based in Schlieren near Zurich, has specialized in the production of antibodies and other proteins. Today, evitria, part of a group consisting of Atlas Antibodies and Histocyte Lab, is a sought-after partner worldwide for research, development, and production of antibodies.

Dr. Schmidt is poised to further pursue evitria’s growth trajectory based on continuously developing the offering to the clients: “The reliable manufacturing of recombinant antibodies by evitria is a key milestone for our international customers on their journey from research to a commercial product with a huge expansion potential.”

Dr. Schmidt with experience in biotechnology and management

Dr. Schmidt brings a broad portfolio of skills and expertise to the management of evitria – both at a strategic and operational level, such as in the fields of monoclonal antibodies and protein engineering.

After completing his master’s degree in biology and biotechnology at the Julius-Maximilians University Würzburg, Dr. Schmidt obtained a PhD in biochemistry and human genetics. This was followed by a postdoctoral degree in biochemistry at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen and a master’s degree in business administration and economics at Högskolan i Gävle in Sweden.

Dr. Schmidt’s professional journey includes senior positions at AstraZeneca, ERA Biotech, and Rentschler Biopharma, where he served, among other things, as Chief Scientific Officer. Most recently, Dr. Schmidt was COO at BioAtrium, a Lonza and Sanofi joint venture before taking up the position of CEO at evitria. He is eagerly looking forward to the challenges ahead: “In the near future, evitria will continue to expand its capacity and capabilities to better support our customers with multi-specific antibodies and other complex modalities.”

Following a successful handover, Dr. Eberle will then join the board of directors of evitria’s parent company: Atlas Antibodies: “I very much look forward to staying closely connected to evitria and to support the continued growth journey under Stefan’s leadership.” Says Dr. Eberle. This is echoed by interim Group CEO Peter Ulvskjold: “I am happy Stefan has accepted this great opportunity to help drive the growth of evitria after the great work Christian has done. Stefan brings a strong passion, capacity, and industry insight that we truly appreciate. At the same time, it also gives me great joy, that we have been able to keep current CEO Dr. Christian Eberle on in another capacity as a member of the board of directors.

From May 15 to 19, evitria will participate in the PEGS Boston Summit – a conference with leading global players in the biopharma and protein engineering sectors. The company will be represented by both Dr. Stefan Schmidt and former CEO Dr. Christian Eberle.