Minaris Therapeutics, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in cell and gene therapies, has announced the appointment of three key executives to its leadership team. This strategic move comes as Minaris embarks on its next phase of growth under the ownership of Altaris Capital Partners, LLC (“Altaris”). The appointments include Dr. Eytan Abraham as Chief Commercial and Technology Officer, Darwin Richardson as Chief Operating Officer, and Dr. Hiroto Bando as President of Japan, signaling a significant strengthening of Minaris’s capabilities and strategic direction.
Dr. Eytan Abraham brings over two decades of international expertise in the cell and gene therapy sector to Minaris. His previous role as Vice President, Business Head of Cell, Gene, and Nucleic Acids at National Resilience, and prior leadership positions at Lonza Group AG, including Head of CGT R&D and VP, Head of Personalized Medicine, underscore his deep understanding of patient-centric cell therapy manufacturing solutions. Dr. Abraham’s experience also includes Head of Therapeutic Pipeline development at Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Neuroendocrinology and Developmental Biology and a post-doctorate from the Harvard-MIT Biomedical Engineering Center and Harvard Medical School, further solidifying his expertise in the field.
Darwin Richardson joins Minaris as Chief Operating Officer, bringing more than 20 years of operational experience within CDMOs. Most recently, he served as CEO of Benuvia Operations. Notably, Mr. Richardson’s background includes a significant period at Meridian Medical Technologies, where he was VP of Operations & General Manager. Meridian Medical Technologies was acquired by Altaris, LLC from Pfizer Inc. in 2021 and subsequently merged with Kindeva Drug Delivery in 2022. This connection to Altaris highlights the firm’s strategic approach to building value within its portfolio companies. His career also includes roles at Baxter International, Ajinmoto Co., Inc, BPL Plasma, and Genzyme, providing a broad operational foundation. Mr. Richardson holds an MBA from the University of La Verne and a B.A from California State University Fullerton.
Dr. Hiroto Bando, who initially joined Minaris in 2020, has been appointed President of Japan. He played a pivotal role in navigating the business through its acquisition from Resonac Corporation to Altaris Capital Partners, which was finalized in early January 2025. Before Minaris, Dr. Bando held various leadership positions at Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd and Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, including Global Head of Cell Manufacturing Strategy and Director of Strategic Product Planning. His diverse experience spans strategic product planning and global cell manufacturing, complemented by a PhD in Pharmaceutical Science from Kyoto University, an MBA from Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School, and a post-doctorate from the University of Texas.
The Minaris Board of Directors expressed strong confidence in these appointments, emphasizing the wealth of experience and proven leadership each executive brings. The Board believes that Dr. Abraham, Mr. Richardson, and Dr. Bando are ideally positioned to guide Minaris into its next phase of expansion and success under the strategic guidance and investment of Altaris Capital Partners. This leadership team is expected to be instrumental in delivering life-changing cell therapies to patients on a global scale, leveraging Altaris’s deep sector expertise and commitment to building successful healthcare businesses.
For more information about Altaris Capital Partners, please visit www.altariscap.com.
