Rajeev Venkayya is leaving Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to become the CEO at a startup focused on addressing COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Prior to leading the global vaccine business unit at Takeda, where he helped develop vaccines for dengue, norovirus, and Zika, Venkayya was director of vaccine delivery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and served on the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Venkayya, who is also on the boards of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, said he will share more details on the startup in the coming weeks.