Spero Therapeutics, Inc. (SPRO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has named Debra Jeske Zack as its new Chief Medical Officer.
The appointment is designed to strengthen the company’s clinical leadership team as it pushes forward with its lead drug candidate, SP001.
SP001 is a Phase 2-ready third-generation anti-CD40L antibody being developed for IgG4-related disease, also known as IgG4-RD.
The therapy is also being evaluated for potential use in other immune-mediated conditions, broadening its clinical scope beyond a single indication.
Zack arrives at Spero Therapeutics with more than 25 years of experience developing therapies specifically targeting immune-mediated diseases.
Her most recent role was Chief Medical Officer at Exagen Inc., where she built substantial expertise in immunology and clinical development.
Prior to Exagen, Zack held senior clinical leadership positions at Xencor Inc., a company known for its work in engineered antibody therapies.
She also previously worked within the Biotherapeutics Development Unit at Novartis, further deepening her background in biologics and immune-focused drug development.
Her breadth of experience across multiple major organisations positions her to play a central role in guiding SP001 through its next stages of clinical development.
Spero Therapeutics shares responded positively to the news, rising nearly 2% in pre-market trading after the stock closed at $1.19 in the prior session.
The leadership addition signals Spero’s commitment to building out its executive bench as it works to advance its clinical pipeline in competitive immunology and rare disease markets.
IgG4-related disease is a rare immune-mediated condition that can affect multiple organs, and the development of targeted biologics like SP001 represents a growing area of clinical interest globally.
