Senior biopharma executive with nearly 20 years of strategy, operational and business development experience will help lead Replicate’s corporate strategy, partnerships and next chapter of growth
SAN DIEGO, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Replicate Bioscience, a clinical-stage company pioneering novel self-replicating RNA (srRNA) technology for applications across infectious disease, immunology, and other therapeutic areas, today announced the appointment of Kathy Fernando, Ph.D., as Chief Business Officer. Dr. Fernando brings nearly two decades of combined experience in the pharmaceutical industry and management consulting, leading global strategy, operations and partnerships for major therapeutic portfolios.
Dr. Fernando will oversee Replicate’s corporate strategy, business development, and new product planning. Her appointment comes at a pivotal time as Replicate accelerates its pipeline and leverages its proprietary srRNA platform to overcome the limitations of conventional mRNA.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kathy to the Replicate leadership team during a critical stage of growth at the company,” said Nathaniel Wang, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Replicate. “Kathy brings a rare combination of scientific depth, operational excellence, and strategic vision that spans the entire spectrum of drug discovery and development. Her success in building and leading innovative organizations demonstrates her ability to accelerate groundbreaking science and forge high-impact partnerships. Her expertise will be instrumental as we expand our pipeline and partnerships globally, strengthen our existing alliances, and work to make transformative therapies more accessible to patients worldwide.”
“I am thrilled to be returning to my scientific roots in mRNA and joining a purpose-driven team dedicated to unlocking the full potential of RNA vaccines and therapeutics.” said Dr. Fernando. “Replicate’s platform represents a significant leap forward in the field. I look forward to helping advance our mission to bring effective, durable, and scalable srRNA vaccines and treatments to patients across the globe.”
Dr. Fernando joins Replicate from Pfizer, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Pfizer Ignite, an innovative partnership model for early-stage biotech companies. At Pfizer, she also served as Head of mRNA Scientific Strategy and Head of Worldwide R&D Operations, where she managed the portfolio from discovery to proof of concept. Prior to Pfizer, Dr. Fernando spent nearly a decade in management consulting, most recently at Deloitte, providing R&D and commercial support to biopharma companies.
Dr. Fernando holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she conducted her thesis on mRNA HIV vaccine development in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Drew Weissman.
About Replicate Bioscience
Replicate Bioscience is a clinical-stage company amplifying the power of RNA therapeutics by pioneering its novel self-replicating RNA (srRNA) technology to overcome the shortcomings of existing mRNA approaches, with potential improvements in bioactivity, induction of more potent immune responses, and improved therapeutic index. RBI-4000, the company’s clinical-stage srRNA rabies vaccine, has demonstrated protective levels of immunity at doses lower than any other reported mRNA or srRNA vaccine in Phase I trials. Funded by Apple Tree Partners, Replicate is advancing a robust pipeline of srRNA vaccines and therapeutics, fueled by its proprietary library of customizable viral vectors. With deep expertise in srRNA and end-to-end development capabilities, Replicate is uniquely positioned to expand the reach of RNA treatments toward widespread use in infectious disease, immunology, immuno-oncology and more. To learn more, visit replicatebioscience.com.
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SOURCE Replicate Bioscience
