Bende previously served as global head of new products at Sanofi Pasteur. He led international, multifunctional teams at the pharmaceutical giant. That included assessing the commercial viability of potential new products.
Prior to Sanofi, Bende held the role of senior policy advisor for the HHS National Vaccine Program Office. Before that, his roles included president and CEO of Bacilligen, consultant for Science & Policy Strategies and The Livingston Group. He also served as VP of scientific affairs for Generic Pharmaceutical Association and as a researcher and administrator at NIAID.
“Steve brings to Vaxess an unparalleled depth and diversity of expertise in strategy, policy, and product development for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies,” said Michael Schrader, CEO of Vaxess. “Throughout his career, Steve has shown an ability to help organizations of all sizes — from emerging biotech startups to the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies and government agencies — grow and succeed. We’re absolutely thrilled to have him join the Vaxess team as we move our vaccine patches towards commercialization.”
About Vaxess Technologies
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Vaxess develops a shelf-stable vaccine patch with the potential for self-application.
MiMix features sustained-release technology for administering vaccines and therapeutics. For vaccines, its controlled release simulates the pace of a natural infection. The company said this helps the body produce a slow, strong and enduring immune response ramp. Because it doesn’t require refrigeration, it can be shipped to and applied in low-resource settings, too.
In December 2022, the company reported positive interim results from a first-in-human trial of its influenza vaccine patch. Vaxess also raised $37 million in a Series B trial within the last year. It also grew its team by more than 30%. The team operates at its corporate headquarters in Cambridge and its GMP manufacturing facility in Woburn, Massachusetts.
“The Vaxess team has developed a sustained release patch technology that has the potential to fundamentally change how numerous therapeutics are distributed and administered,” said Bende. “As chief strategy officer, I look forward to working with the company on exploring the many potential applications for this technology, and bringing Vaxess’s first patches to market in the coming years.”
