VERAXA Biotech AG has appointed Carl von Halem as interim chief financial officer, effective immediately, succeeding Torsten Bürgermeister who departs after four and a half years in the role. The Zurich-headquartered oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company, which commenced trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under ticker VRXA just one month ago on June 11, 2026, said it is conducting final-stage discussions to identify a permanent successor to lead financial strategy as the company enters its crucial post-public phase. The appointment marks a critical juncture for a pre-clinical stage company still advancing lead programs toward clinical readiness while navigating the heightened scrutiny and operational demands of public markets.
Oliver R. Baumann, chairman of VERAXA's board and chief executive of parent firm Xlife Sciences AG, characterized von Halem as ideally positioned for the transition. The executive's credentials rest substantially on his instrumental involvement in VERAXA's listing process, where he served as CFO of Xlife Sciences during the company's business combination with Voyager Acquisition Corp. Von Halem worked closely with internal and external stakeholders across all stages of the transaction, according to Baumann's statement, providing him with extensive knowledge of VERAXA's operational architecture and strategic roadmap. Baumann acknowledged the departing Bürgermeister's contributions without detailing reasons for his exit. No search firm involvement was disclosed in connection with the interim or permanent search process.
Von Halem brings a career spanning financial services, venture creation, and life sciences sectors. Before assuming his current role at Xlife Sciences in December 2021, he co-founded and served as chief operating officer of CommneX, a Munich-based fintech company specializing in digital tendering platforms connecting municipal projects with financial institutions. He previously held senior roles in renewable energy at Berlin-based SaEnergy Systems. Von Halem holds a master's degree in economics from the Technical University of Berlin and maintains board memberships across Xlife Sciences portfolio companies including Axenoll Life Sciences AG and FUSE-AI AG, expanding his exposure to the medtech and artificial intelligence ecosystems.
VERAXA, founded on research breakthroughs from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, focuses on discovery and development of next-generation antibody-based cancer therapeutics. The company employs its proprietary BiTAC (Bi-targeted Tumor-Associated Cytotoxicity) platform to engineer conditionally activated T-cell engagers and bispecific antibody-drug conjugates designed to improve therapeutic selectivity and reduce off-target toxicity. Since its June 2026 listing, VERAXA has secured 77.5 million dollars in combined financing including a 27.5 million dollar senior secured note and a 50 million dollar share purchase agreement, providing capital to advance its pipeline toward clinical development. Chief executive Christoph Antz aims to achieve regulatory readiness for the lead BiTAC-TCE candidate VXA-102 by early 2028.
The CFO transition reflects broader corporate governance challenges facing recently public biotech companies balancing clinical execution with public market accountability. Von Halem's appointment appears designed to provide continuity through the critical phase following VERAXA's debut, leveraging his documented understanding of the company's capital structure, partnership strategy, and regulatory pathway. However, the concurrent search for a permanent CFO signals possible recognition that interim leadership may have limitations for longer-term value creation. This dynamic is common in post-SPAC transactions where founding shareholders like Xlife Sciences, which retains approximately 19 percent ownership, may prioritize operational stability during the transition from private to public status.
