ViSync^® Technologies, a joint venture between Hovione, a global specialist integrated CDMO and leader in spray drying and particle engineering, and iBET (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica), a not-for-profit R&D institution specializing in Biotechnology and Life Sciences, is proud to announce the appointment of Elsa Abranches as its Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).

Headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal, ViSync^® Technologies was established to address unmet technological needs in the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on developing innovative solutions for the cell and gene therapy space. By leveraging Hovione's expertise in pharmaceutical development, particle engineering, and industrialization, alongside iBET’s pioneering research in biotechnological sciences, ViSync^® is uniquely equipped to drive innovation in targeted delivery and stabilization of next-generation therapies. 

Dr. Elsa Abranches brings over two decades of experience in cell and gene therapy, with a strong track record of leading diverse teams in dynamic environments. In her new role as ViSync^® CSO, she will drive the company’s R&D strategy and scientific vision, positioning ViSync^® as a leader in innovation within the dynamic and rapidly advancing field of cell and gene therapy.

“We are thrilled to welcome Elsa Abranches as Chief Scientific Officer of ViSync^®,” said Dr. Christoph Bruecher, Chairman of the Board of ViSync^® and VP Business Transformation at Hovione. “Her expertise and vision in the field of advanced therapeutics will be pivotal in driving ViSync’s mission to create transformative solutions that empower pharmaceutical companies and improve patient treatment outcomes.”

Dr. Manuel Carrondo, Director of the Board of ViSync^® and Vice President of iBET, added, “Elsa’s appointment underscores our commitment to establishing ViSync^® as a leader in cell and gene therapy innovation. Her scientific leadership will be critical as we tackle some of the most pressing challenges in the field of new modalities drug delivery.”

Elsa Abranches, new Chief Scientific Officer of ViSync^®, said: “Having worked in different countries and industries, I’m thrilled to bring my experience back home to join ViSync^®. This new venture represents an incredible opportunity to collaborate with local and international partners to drive innovation in advanced therapeutics and help shape the future of life-changing therapies”.

About Hovione

Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.

About iBET

iBET is a private non-profit institution devoted to biotechnology research, with 35 years of experience creating and transferring knowledge to the global biopharma and biotech sectors. iBET’s core expertise lies on the development of bioprocesses and analytical tools for Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs), including cell and gene therapies, vaccines, antibodies and other innovative therapeutic products. Leveraged by the emerging areas of Data Science and Translational Immunology, we offer bespoke R&D services from early-stage R&D to GMP manufacturing. iBET’s infrastructure comprises cutting-edge laboratories, a GMP certified Analytical Services Unit, and a Late-Stage R&D and Bioproduction Unit, covering upstream and downstream process development, bioanalytical tools for critical quality attribute monitoring, to scale-up and tech transfer. iBET also hosts satellite laboratories of major pharmaceutical companies and serves as an incubation platform for start-up/spin-off companies. iBET is driven by its innovative and agile culture of continuous improvement and a strong sense of ambition, ownership and commitment in developing and delivering the best solutions to our stakeholders.