Dr Reid Leonard recently retired as Chief Operating Officer of Werewolf Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company in Watertown, Massachusetts developing a novel class of immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. The company undertook an initial public offering in 2021 and is traded on the NASDAQ exchange; ticker symbol “HOWL”.
 
Immediately prior to joining Werewolf in 2019, Dr. Leonard participated in the successful exit of Potenza Therapeutics, an early clinical stage immune-oncology company, through its sale to Astellas Pharma. A founding member of the start-up team of Potenza in 2014, Dr. Leonard was responsible for Business & Corporate Development, serving as VP, then Sr VP in that capacity and ultimately Chief Operating Officer.
 
Prior to embarking on his career in biotech, Reid retired as Executive Director from Merck & Co. (USA) following a 25-year career encompassing a range of R&D and business development responsibilities:
 
- Basic and drug-discovery research on cellular excitability and GPCR membrane signaling
- Scientific search and evaluation of licensing and external collaboration opportunities
- Managing Director of MRL Ventures, a corporate strategic venture capital group
 
In addition to Werewolf & Potenza, Reid participated in the formation of three other oncology startups (all funded by MPM Capital), including Tizona Therapeutics, Trieza Therapeutics, and Redona Therapeutics (previously TwentyEight-Seven Therapeutics). Dr Leonard also served as a part-time Venture Partner at MPM Capital (Cambridge MA) during his tenure at Potenza Therapeutics.
 
Reid has been active in mentoring biopharmaceutical entrepreneurs for many years, having served as an advisor to the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council’s MassConnect program (2010-2020), the Biopharmaceutical Research Consortium “CQDM”, Montreal, QC, Canada (2017-2020), and as member and currently chair of the Purdue University Biological Sciences Alumni Advisory Council since 2015.
 
A graduate of Brandeis University (B.A., biology & psychology), and Purdue University (Ph.D., neuroscience), Dr. Leonard completed his academic training as a postdoctoral fellow in molecular pharmacology and physiology at the California Institute of Technology.

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