Coulter Partners places Dr. Richard C.A. Sainson as CSO of Laigo Bio

LONDON, UK and UTRECHT, the Netherlands – April 30, 2026 – Coulter Partners, the global expert building leadership teams for Health, Science and Technology innovation businesses, successfully led a search assignment for Laigo Bio (“Laigo”) and is pleased to announce the placement of Dr. Richard C.A. Sainson as its new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).

Laigo Bio is an early-stage biotech company pioneering the use of E3 ligase induced internalization and selective degradation of membrane-bound targets involved in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Its proprietary SureTACs™ platform generates bispecific antibodies that pair the optimal E3 ligase with a disease-causing target protein to stimulate its ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation with a high degree of specificity.

Dr. Sainson will lead the scientific strategy and oversee the advancement of Laigo’s proprietary SureTACs platform and programs as they move towards the clinic. He brings more than 25 years of expertise in oncology and immunology translational science and drug discovery across academia, global pharma, and emerging biotech companies.

Dr. Matthew Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Laigo Bio, commented: “Richard brings exceptional scientific leadership, deep experience and a strong track record in oncology and immunology. His appointment as Chief Scientific Officer strengthens Laigo’s scientific direction and underscores our commitment to advancing our SureTACs programs towards the clinic.”

“We truly valued the partnership and strategic guidance provided by Coulter Partners throughout this search. Their deep technical understanding of the protein degradation space was instrumental in identifying a leader with the rare combination of antibody engineering depth and the translational tenure required to move our platform into human trials.”

Dr. Kay Wardle, Managing Partner at Coulter Partners, added: “It was a privilege to partner with Matthew and the Laigo Board. Targeted Protein Degradation is one of the most exciting 'frontier' areas of drug discovery, and finding a CSO who can navigate the complexities of membrane-bound targets requires a deep network within the global biotech ecosystem. In Richard, Laigo has found a sophisticated scientific leader who pairs a visionary approach to immunology with the disciplined execution needed to build a robust clinical pipeline.”

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Dr. Richard C.A. Sainson, CSO Laigo Bio

Richard Sainson has more than 25 years of tenure in oncology and immunology research and drug development. He has extensive technical depth in immuno-oncology, cancer biology, and autoimmune diseases, with broad expertise across multiple therapeutic modalities, including monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, ADCs, and cell therapies.

Previously, Richard held senior scientific leadership roles at companies including Advesya, STipe Therapeutics, F-star Therapeutics, Kymab (acquired by Sanofi), and MedImmune/AstraZeneca. Over his career, he has led the scientific strategy for more than 15 preclinical programs and supported the advancement of nine clinical programs, contributing to CTA and IND submissions. He has built multidisciplinary teams, established productive academic and industry collaborations, and supported venture capital firms through scientific due diligence for early-stage biotech investments.

Richard obtained an M.Sc. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Université Pierre et Marie Curie (France) and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Leeds (UK).

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Notes to editors:

About Laigo Bio

Laigo Bio, an early-stage biotech company based in the Netherlands, is pioneering the use of E3 ligase induced internalization and selective degradation of membrane-bound targets involved in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Its proprietary SureTACs™ platform generates bispecific antibodies that pair the optimal E3 ligase with a disease-causing target protein to stimulate its ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation with a high degree of specificity. Degradation of the target protein achieves deeper inhibition of disease pathways compared to conventional therapeutics, while sparing healthy tissue and minimizing side-effects.

www.laigobio.com

About Coulter Partners

We are executive search and leadership development specialists working to build a better future. As advisors and consultants to companies at the cutting edge of Health, Science, and Technology, we are united by our mission to build teams that change the world. Operating uniquely as one global team, we have honed our expertise, platform, and data for over two decades, working across three continents, and in 40 countries. Applying what we learn through our work with boards, leadership teams, and investors in the world’s most innovative companies, we bring together and develop the right people at the right time to propel them to achieve their worthwhile goals.

www.coulterpartners.com