ATUM Taps Pharma Veteran to Accelerate Next-Generation Biologics

NEWARK, CA – April 16, 2026 – In a strategic move poised to accelerate the development of complex biologic drugs, biotechnology contract research organization (CRO) ATUM has appointed Dr. Gavin Barnard, a seasoned veteran from industry titans Genentech and Eli Lilly, as its new Chief Scientific Officer. The appointment signals a significant step for the Newark-based company, reinforcing its commitment to tackling critical bottlenecks in the biopharmaceutical pipeline with a blend of advanced technology and deep industry expertise.

Dr. Barnard brings over two decades of experience in navigating biotherapeutics from the earliest stages of discovery through to clinical manufacturing. His leadership is expected to sharpen ATUM's scientific strategy and drive innovation across its integrated service offerings, which combine machine learning, synthetic biology, and proprietary expression technologies. The move is seen by industry observers as a key talent acquisition in the competitive biopharma landscape, where experienced leaders who can bridge the gap between novel platforms and clinical reality are in high demand.

"I am delighted to welcome Gavin to ATUM," said Dr. Jeremy Minshull, CEO of ATUM, in a statement. "Gavin's ability to translate his deep technical knowledge into effective solutions, and his experience in the pharmaceutical industry, will help ensure that ATUM continues to innovate in areas that will have a real impact for our customers."

A Strategic Infusion of Industry Expertise

The hiring of a CSO with Dr. Barnard's pedigree is more than a routine leadership change; it represents a deliberate strategy by ATUM to embed the perspective of big pharma directly into its operational core. His long tenure at Genentech and Eli Lilly provides him with firsthand knowledge of the complex challenges and decision-making processes that ATUM's clients face daily. This experience is invaluable for a CRO aiming to provide solutions that are not just scientifically elegant but also pragmatically aligned with the rigorous demands of clinical and commercial drug development.

Dr. Barnard's role will focus on three critical pillars of ATUM's service portfolio. First, he will oversee the company's Hit-to-Lead services, which leverage in silico modeling and AI-guided sequence optimization to more rapidly assess and refine potential drug candidates. Second, he will guide the expansion of ATUM's Cell Line Development services, a cornerstone of the company's offerings. Finally, he will spearhead the roadmap for complex modalities, enhancing support for the next wave of challenging but promising therapies like multispecific antibodies and Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs).

"I have seen firsthand the transformative power of ATUM's technology to solve the industry's most pressing bottlenecks," Dr. Barnard stated. "I am thrilled to join this world-class team, and I look forward to helping our clients accelerate their most promising therapies into the clinic."

Fortifying a Powerful Technology Platform

At the heart of ATUM's cell line development success is its proprietary Leap-In Transposase® technology. Transposon-based systems are powerful genetic tools that can efficiently integrate large pieces of DNA into a host cell's genome, leading to stable and high-level expression of a target protein, such as a therapeutic antibody. Dr. Barnard's background makes him uniquely suited to lead this area; his prior research includes publications on the use of transposon systems, including the piggyBac system, to generate stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell pools capable of producing antibody titers as high as 7.6 g/L. This deep, practical experience with the underlying science is expected to fuel further innovation.

The platform's clinical and commercial relevance is underscored by the fact that it has been used in the filing of over 50 Investigational New Drug (IND) applications with regulatory agencies—a key milestone that allows clinical trials to begin. By placing an expert with a proven track record in transposase systems at the helm, ATUM is positioning itself to build on this momentum, further refining the technology to improve speed, titer, and stability for its clients' cell lines.

Beyond cell lines, Dr. Barnard's leadership will be crucial in advancing ATUM's capabilities in complex modalities. Multispecific antibodies, which can bind to two or more different targets, and ADCs, which combine the specificity of an antibody with the cell-killing power of a potent drug, represent the cutting edge of oncology and immunology. However, their structural complexity presents significant manufacturing and development challenges. By investing in this area, ATUM is aligning its strategy with the industry's trajectory toward more sophisticated and targeted biologic therapies.

Accelerating the Path from Sequence to Clinic

The ultimate goal of this strategic appointment is to shorten the arduous and costly timeline of drug development. The biopharmaceutical industry is under constant pressure to innovate faster and more efficiently. ATUM's integrated approach—from digital gene design to engineered protein expression and robust cell line creation—is designed to streamline this path. Dr. Barnard's role will be to ensure that each component of this platform is optimized and interconnected to deliver maximum value.

His oversight of Hit-to-Lead services, which use computational power to predict and de-risk drug candidates early, exemplifies this philosophy. By identifying potential developability issues before significant resources are spent in the lab, ATUM helps its partners focus on candidates with the highest probability of success. This data-driven approach, combined with rapid, small-scale expression and analytics, allows for a more efficient and informed progression from a promising 'hit' to a viable clinical 'lead'.

With Dr. Barnard's leadership, ATUM is doubling down on its mission to transform digital sequences into clinical reality. The appointment solidifies the company's position not just as a service provider, but as a strategic innovation partner for biotech and pharmaceutical companies working to bring the next generation of life-saving therapies to patients around the world.