AC Immune CEO Andrea Pfeifer to retire after 23 years; Dr Martin Zügel interim CEO
Dr Andrea Pfeifer retires as AC Immune CEO after 23 years, with Board Chair Dr Martin Zügel named interim CEO at the upcoming AGM. Pfeifer remains Advisor and Honorary Board Chair as the company advances three clinical candidates and deepens partnerships with Lilly, Takeda and J&J.
1. CEO Retirement Announcement
AC Immune announced that co-founder and CEO Dr Andrea Pfeifer will retire at the upcoming Annual General Meeting after a distinguished 23-year tenure. The Board has appointed Chair Dr Martin Zügel as interim CEO, with a leading industry consultant retained to identify a permanent successor.
2. Transition Roles and Advisory Support
As part of the leadership transition, Pfeifer will serve as Advisor and Honorary Chair of the Board of Directors and as Co-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board to ensure continuity. The formal CEO search process is underway to secure a permanent leader equipped to drive long-term strategy.
3. Pipeline Strength and Partnerships
The company highlights its robust balance sheet and a pipeline featuring three Precision Prevention candidates in clinical development for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Strategic partnerships with Eli Lilly, Takeda and Johnson & Johnson support near-term value inflection milestones and non-dilutive funding.