Kindeva Drug Delivery Appoints Denis Johnson as COO

Kindeva Drug Delivery announced that it has named Denis Johnson as its new chief operating officer (COO). He will lead the company’s global operations for all manufacturing, research, and development facilities in the U.S. and UK.
 
Notably, Johnson will facilitate the expansion and opening of Kindeva’s new aseptic fill-finish site in Bridgeton, Missouri, which is opening this year. He will also aid the company’s focus on bringing green propellants to commercial combination product manufacturing for more eco-friendly inhalers. Kindeva is the only CDMO capable of filling inhalers with lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) 152a propellant.
 
Most recently, Johnson was head of global manufacturing and technical operations at Biogen. He’s also held several leadership positions at Catalent, Boston Scientific, Teradyne, and Johnson & Johnson. Johnson began his career in the U.S. Army, managing operations and logistics.
 
“Kindeva’s commitment to more patient-centric, sustainable drug delivery systems as well as continued growth, especially over the past year, is exciting,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to join the Kindeva team to drive continued operational excellence and implement strategies that ensure the timely delivery of life-changing medications to patients worldwide.”
 
“Denis’ extensive experience in the CDMO space and track record of driving operational excellence will be invaluable as Kindeva continues to expand and innovate in the drug-delivery space,” said Kindeva CEO Milton Boyer. “His strong leadership skills and deep understanding of the market will support Kindeva specifically in working toward introducing the first 152a commercial green propellant line to the market—clinical supply is already available and by 2025, we plan to introduce some of the first-ever products using this alternative propellant to the market. Additionally, Denis will focus on optimizing manufacturing processes, enhancing operational efficiencies, ensuring the highest level of quality and compliance across all facilities, and more.”
 
Earlier this year, Kindeva acquired Summit Biosciences, an intranasal drug-delivery contract development and manufacturing organization.