Symeres and Axxam have appointed Russell Thomas as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) to lead a joint scientific collaboration aimed at integrating the research and development capabilities of both organisations.

The collaboration combines the complementary strengths of both organisations, enabling customers to access integrated services spanning target assessment, screening, lead identification and optimisation, development candidate nomination, and investigational new drug (IND)-ready packages.

As Chief Scientific Officer, Thomas will oversee the scientific strategy across both organisations, working closely with research and commercial teams to develop integrated client solutions, align scientific capabilities, and identify opportunities to strengthen their combined drug discovery and development platform. 

The move comes as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies increasingly seek partners capable of delivering seamless support across the entire R&D continuum.

Together, Symeres and Axxam will provide customers with access to complementary scientific expertise, established R&D platforms, and multidisciplinary teams across Europe and the United States. 

The collaboration aims to address increasingly complex drug discovery programmes by combining scientific depth with practical execution.

Thomas returns to Symeres after spending the past year advising emerging biotechnology and biomaterials companies. During his career, he has held scientific and leadership positions at Axxam, Symeres, GSK, Evotec, Siena Biotech, and Proteros, bringing extensive experience across the drug discovery and development value chain.

Commenting on his appointment, Russell Thomas said, "Returning as Chief Scientific Officer feels very exciting as it connects two parts of a story. Having spent important parts of my career at both Symeres and Axxam, I'm excited to help bring together expert led complementary science, strong transatlantic teams and a shared mindset to support partners and projects in a truly integrated way."

Henning Steinhagen, CEO of Symeres, said, "Russell brings a rare combination of scientific expertise, industry experience and first-hand knowledge of both Symeres and Axxam, together with a strong understanding of how to translate early discovery projects into preclinical development and beyond. This makes him ideally placed to help us deliver value for customers and support our long-term growth strategy."

 Ciriaco Maraschiello, CEO of Axxam, added, "Russell's appointment is an important step in strengthening the connection between both companies, with his experience providing a valuable perspective on how to connect scientific capabilities to customer needs. Having worked within both Axxam and Symeres, he understands the strengths, culture and potential of each organisation, and is well placed to support the growth of both companies."