Esther M. Alegria

Dr. Esther Alegria is the CEO and leads a team of seasoned industry experts to further the transition of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and Heart Failure (HF) therapies from pre-clinical trials into clinical trials worldwide. Prior to becoming CEO, she was a Senior Executive Biopharmaceutical Advisor at Catalyst Excel & Advance where she lent her 28 years of experience in R&D through to commercialization to establish and start up pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies.

She was also the Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing at Biogen, where she was responsible for the company’s successful manufacturing operations in Denmark, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. These facilities covered the world-class production of large-scale drug substances, medical device assemblies, finished goods, and small-molecule manufacturing operations.

Dr. Alegria held positions of increasing responsibility in the R&D Wyeth Organization (now Pfizer), where she earned the company award for analytical technology in the development & launch of Prevnar. Business NC Magazine selected Esther in 2009 as Woman Extraordinaire of the Year for being an influential leader within her company and for her impact on its economic success and forward-thinking strategies.

Throughout her career, Esther has mentored others to pursue their education and further develop their professions. Her simple and approachable style welcomes men and women to seek her mentorship and see her as a role model. Esther holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Hawaii and an Executive Business Management certification from Harvard Business School.