Yale School of Management - Mark Leuchtenberger '87

"Yale SOM was a transformational event for me. I came to Yale from state government looking for a way to acquire and apply private sector management tools in the public sector. I found the tools, but I also ultimately found a way to employ them in the service of biotechnology — something I never would have predicted as a literature major. I was fortunate to participate in the transformation of the treatment landscape in multiple sclerosis during my time at Biogen, to develop successful cancer vaccines at Therion, and now I'm excited to be working with Nobel Prize winning scientists and technology from Yale to develop novel antibiotics at Rib-X here in New Haven. Yale SOM has made it all possible."

Mark Leuchtenberger joined Rib-X Pharmaceuticals of New Haven, CT, in March, 2010, as the president and chief executive officer, marking his third assignment as president and CEO of a development-stage biotechnology company. Prior to joining Rib-X, Mark served as president and CEO of Targanta Therapeutics Corporation and led the company's successful IPO in 2007 and acquisition by The Medicines Company in 2009. He joined Targanta from Therion Biologics Corporation, a privately-held cancer vaccine company, where he served as president and CEO, drove the lead product ProstVac to Phase 2/3 trial results yielding highly significant reduction in mortality, completed commercial manufacturing build-up, and raised over $120 million in private financing. Prior to Therion, Mr. Leuchtenberger was a senior officer at Biogen, where he served as vice president, international, and led all commercial operations outside of North America.

Mark received his MBA from Yale School of Management in 1987 and also holds a BA from Wake Forest University. He recently concluded a two-year stint as chairman of the MassBio Board of Directors and is a trustee of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is also the co-founder of two successful biotechnology companies.