HALIX Appoints Dr. Lutz Hilbrich as New Chief Executive Officer

LEIDEN, Netherlands, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HALIX B.V., a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in the development and manufacturing of complex therapeutic antibodies (proteins) and viral products, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Lutz Hilbrich as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately.

With over 20 years in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, Dr. Hilbrich brings extensive experience in strategic leadership, operational excellence, and innovation in biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing. He succeeds Alex Huybens, who has successfully built and led HALIX's activities in recent years.

"I am honored to join HALIX at such an exciting time in the company's journey," said Dr. Hilbrich, who has worked across multiple regions, including the US, China, Europe, and Africa, in both big pharma and mid-sized companies, successfully leading organizations through significant growth and transformation. "Healthcare is a human right and as a Physician and Senior Biotech Executive, I am committed to relentlessly contributing to shaping the future of medicine by enabling our global partners to develop and manufacture life-saving therapies. HALIX has established itself as a trusted partner for the development and manufacturing of bio-pharmaceutical products, and I am eager to work with the talented team at HALIX to build on this strong foundation."

HALIX, headquartered in Leiden, is known for its state-of-the-art facilities and a strong commitment to quality and innovation. The company specializes in the development and GMP manufacturing of viral vectors and has also expanded its expertise into recombinant proteins, and other complex biopharmaceutical products for clinical and commercial use. Notably, HALIX partnered with AstraZeneca for the development and manufacturing (clinical and commercial scale) of its COVID-19 vaccine, underscoring its capability to support global healthcare initiatives.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Lutz Hilbrich as our new CEO," said Dr. Harry Flore, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. "His extensive experience and his proven track record in the field of biosimilars, cell & gene therapy as well as vaccines, position him well to lead HALIX into its next phase of growth." He further adds: "We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Alex Huybens for his leadership and achievements during his tenure as CEO, positioning HALIX for future success."

About HALIX

HALIX B.V. is a biopharmaceutical CDMO for biologics, enabling the treatment and prevention of life-threatening diseases. The company is focused on mammalian expression systems for the production of viral vectors and recombinant proteins. HALIX leverages scalable single-use, state-of-the-art bioprocessing technologies to provide its customers with services for the development and GMP manufacturing of drug substances and drug products. HALIX has entered into a number of contracts for the production of oncolytic immunotherapies and vaccines, utilizing innovative technologies, most notably the large-scale commercial drug substance manufacture of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. The company opened its state-of-the-art 6,700 m² GMP manufacturing facility in 2019, offering 1,000 L SUB capacities, at the Leiden Bio Science Park, the Netherlands. HALIX is part of the family-owned Droege Group.

Media Contact:
Kassandra Barbetsea
Marketing manager
HALIX B.V.
Email: kbarbetsea@halix.nl
Phone: +31 (0) 88 19 59 000