Tozaro appoints Dr. Jason Slingsby MBA as CEO to lead company strategy in cell and gene therapy sector

Bedfordshire, UK, 1 May 2025: Tozaro, an emerging technology provider in the field of cell and gene therapy manufacturing today announced the appointment of Dr. Jason Slingsby MBA as Chief Executive Officer, effective 22 April 2025. Jason will lead the Company’s long-term strategy, including commercialization of its Smart Polymer technology to enhance downstream manufacturing of viral vectors in cell and gene therapy (CGT). Michele Pedrocchi PhD, previously a Non-Executive Director, has also now been appointed as Chair.

A renowned biotech leader, Jason has over 20 years of experience and demonstrated successes in business development, strategic partnering, M&A, fundraising and establishing and managing significant commercial relationships. He will lead Tozaro as it capitalizes on early momentum following the Company’s transition to the CGT bioprocessing sector in August 2024¹, since which time Guy Leaver, Board Member, has been acting as Interim-CEO.

Prior to joining Tozaro, Jason was Chief Business Officer for LifeArc, where he led all business development, alliance management, IP, funding and technology transfer functions. Before this he was Chief Business and Corporate Development Officer at OXB (previously Oxford Biomedica), a leading viral vector CDMO, where he guided the Company’s M&A and strategic partnering efforts, including significant expansion into the US market. As CEO and Co-founder of ProtAffin AG, a clinical stage spin-out, he secured >£20m funding to develop novel biologics. Jason holds an undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Oxford, a PhD in genetics from Imperial College London, and an MBA with Distinction from London Business School.

Michele was appointed as a Non-Executive Director to Tozaro in 2022 and holds a number of other Board positions within the life sciences industry. He has extensive experience in leading business and corporate development functions through his career at Roche Diagnostics, where he was a member of the Executive Committee and held roles including Global Head of Strategy and Business Development for the diagnostics division. Michele has significant knowledge of diverse, innovation driven business segments including fully regulated healthcare products, life science, precision medicine and digital health products.

Dr. Jason Slingsby MBA, CEO, Tozaro, said: “Tozaro is an exciting company in the cell and gene therapy manufacturing technology space, and I look forward to working with the team, and with Michele as the new Chair, to continue to build value, forge new partnerships and strengthen our position as innovators. Tozaro’s Smart Polymer technology holds the potential to redefine how we approach downstream processing of cell and gene therapies. I look forward to leading the company through this commercialization phase, allowing our partners to go beyond the limits of what was previously thought possible in biology.”

Michele Pedrocchi PhD, Non-Executive Chair, Tozaro, said: “I’m delighted to step up to the position of Chair, and to welcome Jason as CEO. It is testament to the strength of Tozaro’s science and the potential commercial value of the technology that someone with Jason’s background and expertise has chosen to join the leadership team at this point in the Company’s development. We thank Guy for his tenure as Interim-CEO, and we are all excited to now work alongside Jason moving forward.”

Dr Mark Payton, CEO, Mercia Asset Management PLC and Non-Executive Director, Tozaro, said: “Jason’s extensive commercial experience and track record of delivery, both in the CGT and biomanufacturing arena and as a growth leader, will be invaluable to Tozaro as the Company enters its next phase of growth. I’m pleased to welcome both Jason to Tozaro’s Board as CEO, and Michele as Board Chair. This, in combination with an exemplary team at Tozaro and world leading technological innovation, bodes well for Tozaro’s future.”

Elizabeth Klein, Investment Director, Calculus Capital and Non-Executive Director, Tozaro, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Jason as CEO, and look forward to working with him to support the growth and success of the Company. Jason is ideally placed to firmly establish Tozaro’s position as a technology pioneer in the cell and gene therapy manufacturing space.”

To learn more about Tozaro’s support for development and manufacture of viral vectors in cell and gene therapy, please visit www.tozaro.com