Dr. Dhavalkumar Patel

Dr. Dhavalkumar Patel was appointed Scientific Advisor to Harbour BioMed in June 2026, bringing an outstanding track record of therapeutic innovation spanning over two decades in industry and academia. Dr. Patel holds an M.D. and Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Duke University, and is board certified in internal medicine, rheumatology, and allergy & immunology.

Prior to his appointment at Harbour BioMed, Dr. Patel served as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Sana Biotechnology starting in 2024. At UCB, where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, he led research teams that contributed to the registration of bimekizumab (Bimzelx®), rozanolixizumab (Rystiggo®) and zilucoplan (Zilbrysq®). During his 10 years at Novartis, most recently as Head of Research of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) Europe, he led research in autoimmune, transplantation, and inflammation disease areas, contributing to the registration of secukinumab (Cosentyx®), fingolimod (Gilenya®), siponimod (Mayzent®), canakinumab (Ilaris®), everolimus (Zortress®/Certican®, Afinitor®), leniolisib (Joenja®), and iptacopan (Fabhalta®).

Before joining industry in 2006, Dr. Patel was an Eminent Professor of Medicine, Chief of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and Director of the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He spent nine years at Duke University School of Medicine, culminating as Chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology. He authored and co-authored over 100 thought-leading publications and presentations.

Career History

• Sana Biotechnology: Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer (2024–present)
• UCB: Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer (2017–2024)
• Novartis: Head of Research, NIBR Europe and Global Head of Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation (2006–2017)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Eminent Professor of Medicine and Director, Thurston Arthritis Research Center (2003–2006)
• Duke University School of Medicine: Chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology (1994–2003)

What Dr. Patel could bring to Harbour BioMed as Scientific Advisor: Dr. Patel's appointment to Harbour BioMed's Scientific Advisory Board positions him to leverage his deep expertise in antibody therapeutics and immunology to guide the company's discovery and development pipeline. His track record of advancing multiple FDA-approved immunology therapies at major pharmaceutical companies, combined with his academic research foundation and more recent work in cell therapy innovation at Sana Biotechnology, uniquely equips him to advise Harbour BioMed on scientific strategy, regulatory pathways, and novel antibody modality development in oncology and autoimmune diseases.