 |
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SHANGHAI, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142), a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of novel antibody therapeutics in immunology, oncology and other areas, today announced the appointment of Dr. Bob Zhang as President of Metabolic Disease Franchise. Dr. Zhang will be based in Shanghai and report directly to Dr. Jingsong Wang, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harbour BioMed.
The appointment underscores Harbour BioMed’s strategic commitment to building a dedicated metabolic disease franchise and advancing a differentiated pipeline of innovative therapies for obesity, metabolic diseases, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)/liver diseases and cardiovascular disorders. As President of the Metabolic Disease Franchise, Dr. Zhang will lead the franchise’s strategy and operations, overseeing portfolio development, research and development, organizational growth, strategic collaborations, and NewCo incubation to accelerate the delivery of transformative therapies for patients.
Metabolic diseases represent one of the fastest-growing areas of unmet medical need globally. Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with significant unmet needs persisting despite existing treatments, particularly in areas where metabolic dysfunction is a key underlying driver. Building on its proprietary antibody discovery technologies and growing expertise in metabolic and cardiovascular biology, Harbour BioMed is expanding its investment in these therapeutic areas with the goal of developing next-generation biologics that address the complex mechanisms underlying metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Dr. Zhang is a physician-scientist and biotech entrepreneur with more than 20 years of leadership experience in metabolic and liver disease research and development. Prior to joining Harbour BioMed, he served as Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Epigenic Therapeutics, Chief Executive Officer of Kunming Biomed International, and Director of Translational Medicine at Sanofi. Throughout his career, he has led drug discovery, translational pharmacology, and early clinical development programs across biotechnology companies, multinational pharmaceutical organizations, and CROs, while also contributing to biotech company formation, strategy, and growth.
“We are delighted to welcome Bob to Harbour BioMed at an exciting stage in our evolution,” said Dr. Jingsong Wang, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harbour BioMed. “The establishment of our Metabolic Disease Franchise reflects our long-term commitment to building a robust portfolio of innovative therapies that can make a meaningful difference for patients living with obesity and other metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Bob brings an exceptional combination of scientific insight, translational expertise, and entrepreneurial leadership. His extensive experience in advancing metabolic and cardiovascular disease programs will be instrumental as we accelerate our pipeline, strengthen strategic partnerships, and translate our scientific innovation into impactful therapies.”
“I am excited to join Harbour BioMed at a pivotal time as the Company deepens its commitment to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases,” said Dr. Bob Zhang, President of Metabolic Disease Franchise at Harbour BioMed. “Harbour BioMed has built a strong foundation of scientific innovation and proprietary antibody technologies. I look forward to working with the talented team to advance a differentiated pipeline of innovative therapeutics addressing obesity, MASH, and other metabolic disorders, as well as cardiovascular indications, ultimately bringing transformative treatment options to patients worldwide.”
Dr. Zhang received his M.D. from Dalian Medical University and his Ph.D. from the University of Sydney, and completed executive management training at CEIBS (China Europe International Business School).
About Harbour BioMed
Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142) is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of novel antibody therapeutics in immunology, oncology and other areas. The Company is building a robust portfolio and differentiated pipeline through internal R&D capability, strategic global collaborations in co-discovery and co-development, and selective acquisitions.
Our proprietary antibody technology platform, Harbour Mice®, generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in both the conventional two heavy and two light chain (H2L2) format and the heavy chain-only (HCAb) format. Building upon HCAb antibodies, the HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE®) bispecific antibody technology enables tumor-killing effects that traditional combination therapies cannot achieve. The HCAb-based Antibody Plus technology (HCAb PLUSTM) provides comprehensive modality solutions for the development of innovative multi-specific medicines in different disease areas. Additionally, building upon the Harbour Mice® platform, Harbour BioMed launched its first fully human Generative AI HCAb Model powered by its Hu-mAtrIxTM AI platform, accelerating the development of innovative therapies.
By integrating Harbour Mice®, HBICE®, HCAb PLUSTM, a single B-cell cloning platform and AI technologies, Harbour BioMed has built a highly efficient and distinctive antibody discovery engine for developing next-generation therapeutic antibodies. For more information, please visit www.harbourbiomed.com.