Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Hikma), the multinational pharmaceutical company, today announces that its Executive Vice Chairman and President of MENA, Mazen Darwazah, has been appointed as a Board Director to Rakuten Medical, Inc. a global biotechnology company specialised in developing and commercialising precision, cell targeting therapies based on its Alluminox™ technology platform.
In August of last year, Hikma announced signing an exclusive licensing agreement with Rakuten Medical, to commercialise products in Rakuten Medical’s pipeline using its photo immunotherapy Alluminox™ technology platform, in all Hikma’s MENA markets. The agreement strengthened Hikma’s growing portfolio in oncology and biotechnology bringing a potentially innovative technology to cancer patients in the region.
“We are very pleased to welcome Mazen, highly experienced global leader, to our board,” said Mickey Mikitani, Co-CEO of Rakuten Medical, Inc. “With his strong operational direction and experience in driving strategic business decisions that grow healthcare businesses in the MENA region and globally, I'm sure that Mazen will add value as a solid guide for Rakuten Medical as it moves to a new stage of uncovering more potential as a global biotechnology company.”
Commenting on joining Rakuten Medical’s Board of Directors, Mazen Darwazah Hikma’s Executive Vice Chairman and President of MENA, said: “I’m honoured to join Rakuten Medical’s Board of Directors. We’re at an important crossroad at Hikma and well positioned to shape the next chapter of our growth in line with our strategy of moving to provide broader healthcare solutions in MENA. My board appointment will drive synergies and facilitate a closer working relationship with an important partner that shares Hikma’s vision of shaping a healthier world.”