Actithera significantly strengthens leadership team and Board as Company advances towards clinical development
Steven Kelly appointed Chief Executive Officer to lead Actithera through clinical development and continued pipeline
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- Steven Kelly appointed Chief Executive Officer to lead Actithera through clinical development and continued pipeline expansion
- Briggs Morrison appointed Chair of the Board, bringing extensive biotech leadership and oncology drug development expertise
- John Crowley appointed Independent Director, adding proven strategic, financial and capital markets leadership
OSLO, Norway and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Actithera, a radiopharmaceutical biotech company translating medicinal chemistry insights into next-generation radioligand therapies (RLTs), today announced the appointment of Steven Kelly as Chief Executive Officer and a member of its Board of Directors, alongside the appointment of Briggs Morrison as Chair of the Board and John Crowley as an independent director. The appointments strengthen Actithera’s leadership team as the company advances into clinical development and enters its next phase of growth.
As Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kelly will lead Actithera as it progresses its lead fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-targeted RLT into clinical development and continues to build its pipeline of differentiated radiopharmaceuticals. Founder Andreas Goutopoulos will continue as President and Head of Research & Development, leading Actithera’s scientific vision, medicinal chemistry platform, research organization, and discovery pipeline.
Dr. Briggs Morrison, Chair of the Board of Actithera, said: “Actithera has reached an important inflection point as it prepares to translate a differentiated scientific platform into clinical development. Andreas and the team have built a strong scientific foundation, and Steve brings the company-building and operating experience needed to lead Actithera through this next phase. Together with John’s financial and strategic expertise, our strengthened leadership team brings together the capabilities Actithera needs to execute with discipline and build on the Company’s momentum.”
Mr. Kelly brings more than 30 years of biotechnology leadership experience spanning company building, corporate strategy, business development and commercialization. He most recently served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Carisma Therapeutics, where he led the company from an academic platform to a publicly traded, clinical-stage biotechnology company, raising more than $300 million in financing and establishing collaborations with leading global biopharmaceutical companies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Kelly held senior leadership roles at BioVex, Sanofi, IDEC Pharmaceuticals and Amgen, contributing to the commercialization of several landmark oncology therapies.
Mr. Steven Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of Actithera, said: “Actithera has differentiated science, a highly experienced team, and a clear opportunity to address important limitations in radioligand therapy for patients. Our priorities are clear: advance the lead FAP-targeted program into clinical development, continue building the pipeline behind it, and establish the capabilities needed to execute with rigor and discipline. I look forward to working alongside the team to translate our scientific foundation into clinical progress and ultimately deliver new treatment options for patients with significant unmet needs.”
Dr. Andreas Goutopoulos, Founder, President and Head of Research & Development of Actithera, said: “I founded Actithera on the conviction that innovative chemistry could be applied to address fundamental limitations of radioligand therapy. It has been a privilege to build a team that has transformed those ideas into a powerful platform, a growing pipeline, and a lead program approaching clinical development. Steve brings valuable experience at this important stage of our development, and I’m excited to work alongside him as we enter the next phase and continue advancing the science.”
Mr. Crowley brings more than 30 years of financial and strategic leadership experience across the biotechnology industry. He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of Centessa Pharmaceuticals, where he helped lead the company’s strategic transformation ahead of its $7.8 billion acquisition by Eli Lilly. Previously, as Chief Financial Officer of Fusion Pharmaceuticals, he helped build one of the radioligand industry’s leading companies from early development through its Nasdaq initial public offering and subsequent acquisition by AstraZeneca. Throughout his career, he has raised more than $1.5 billion in capital and brings deep experience in capital markets, corporate strategy, business development, and public company governance.
Dr. Morrison is Chief Executive Officer of Crossbow Therapeutics, Chair of Arvinas and a member of the board of directors of CRISPR Therapeutics. A medical oncologist with more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, he previously held executive leadership positions at Syndax Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Merck, where he oversaw the clinical development of numerous oncology medicines, including Tagrisso®, Imfinzi® and Lynparza®.
For further information:
Optimum Strategic Communications
Mary Clark, Isabelle Abdou, Katie Flint
Tel: +44 20 3922 1906
Email: actithera@optimumcomms.com
About Actithera
Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, Actithera is a radiopharmaceutical biotech company translating medicinal chemistry insights into next-generation radioligand therapies (RLTs). Founded in 2021 by drug discovery innovator Dr. Andreas Goutopoulos, Actithera applies various molecular design strategies, including covalent-targeting and an isotope-agnostic philosophy to invent RLTs with significant differentiation and larger therapeutic windows. In July 2025, the Company raised a $75.5 million Series A financing backed by blue chip investors, to advance its pipeline and accelerate clinical development of its lead FAP-targeting radioligand therapy, with a focus on addressing critical unmet needs in oncology. Learn more at www.actithera.com and on LinkedIn.
