On October 27, 2025 Evaxion A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) ("Evaxion"), a clinical-stage TechBio company specializing in developing AI-Immunology powered vaccines, reported it has appointed Dr Helen Tayton-Martin as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). She will take up her new position on November 24, 2025, and simultaneously step down from Evaxion’s Board of Directors (Board).
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Holding a Ph.D. in molecular immunology, and an MBA from London Business School, Helen Tayton-Martin was a co-founder of cancer-focused biotech company Adaptimmune, where she served as Chief Operating Officer and later Chief Business & Strategy Officer during her 17 years with the company. Through this time, she oversaw transatlantic growth, multiple clinical, academic and commercial collaborations and private and public financing through to its Nasdaq IPO. Dr. Tayton-Martin was responsible for all Adaptimmune’s strategic partnerships including those with Astellas, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, GlaxoSmithKline and Galapagos NV.
Prior to Adaptimmune, Dr. Tayton Martin spent 15 years working within the pharma, biotech and consulting environments for various companies. She also previously served as a non-executive director of Trillium Therapeutics Inc. from October 2017 through to the sale of the company in November 2021 to Pfizer Inc.
"I am delighted that Helen Tayton-Martin is taking over the CEO position. She is a skilled executive with exactly the right experience in leading an organization, making partnerships and monetizing assets in biotech. Helen knows Evaxion from her time on the Board and we have seen her leadership quality and have already established a working relationship. It is with great faith that we welcome her to a new role in the company" says Marianne Søgaard, Chairman of the Board at Evaxion.
"I also want to extend my thanks to Birgitte Rønø, who has done a fantastic job as interim CEO in a crucial time for Evaxion, on top of her duties as Chief Scientific Officer. Birgitte will now again focus on this role, and we look forward to continuing to benefit from her capabilities and experience as she leads our research and development work," says Marianne Søgaard.
"I am very excited to be joining Evaxion as CEO at an incredibly exciting time for the company. I have seen first-hand from my time on the Company’s Board the strength of its AI-Immunology platform to deliver real potential products, exemplified with the recent out-licensing of EVX-B3 to MSD and the presentation of unprecedented data for EVX-01 at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper), demonstrating Evaxion is in a very strong position for further future value generation. I am looking forward to working with the highly skilled and committed team of employees to build from this extraordinary scientific, medical and commercial potential of Evaxion," says Helen Tayton-Martin.
Changes to the Board of Evaxion
Helen Tayton-Martin will step down from the Board of Evaxion when taking up the CEO position. Seasoned life science executive Jens Bitsch-Norhave will join the Board of Directors as adviser and observer with the intention of seeking election as board member at the Annual General Meeting in 2026.
"We are looking forward to welcoming Jens Bitsch-Norhave to Evaxion. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, specializing in corporate strategy, global expansion, and dealmaking, Jens will be a strong addition to the Board", says Marianne Søgaard.
Jens Bitsch-Norhave is currently Corporate Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Development at Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, where he is responsible for strategy, business development, licensing, M&A, and alliance management, advancing the company’s globalization and growth. He holds an MSc and Ph.D. in neuropharmacology from the University of Copenhagen and an Executive MBA in Technology & Innovation from Copenhagen Business School.
(Press release, Evaxion Biotech, OCT 27, 2025, View Source [SID1234657032])