John F. Coelho

John F. Coelho joined the board of directors of PaxMedica in May 2022. Dr. Coelho’s career has focused on enterprise medical strategy for global diversified pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with assignments in the U.S., Europe and Asia spanning multiple therapeutic areas. He has served in leadership roles most recently as Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs for Sanofi in Paris, Global Medical Strategy Leader for Merck and Co in the U.S and Head of Asia based in Singapore, and finally as Global Medical Director at Pfizer Inc. He currently serves as Senior Medical Advisor for Lactiga, a preclinical biotherapeutics company developing novel biologics for primary immune-deficiency diseases and Muvon Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech developing a cell- therapy platform for muscle regeneration based in Switzerland.

Dr. Coelho has previously led medical excellence with evidence- generation plans and data display for Merck’s General Medicine, Neurosciences and Established Medicines portfolio for almost a decade. He has served on the integrated clinical development teams to ensure representative populations are enrolled in registration trials, engaged with leading professional associations worldwide like the American and European Society of Cardiology to support inclusion of medications in guidelines. He has also led humanitarian efforts making essential medicines and vaccines available for population health needs over health crises and most recently co-led the establishment of the test and contract tracing program for the city of Newark, New Jersey. On a community bases, he has served as the founding Chairman of Diversity and Inclusion for his township and continuously works to foster, dialogue, engagement and understanding across communities.

Dr. Coelho completed his Bachelors in Dental Surgery in Lahore, Pakistan and later a residency at Boston University. Finally, he has completed a Certificate in Enterprise Leadership at Harvard University.