MEDICAGO
Medicago, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Quebec City, Canada, today announced Takashi Nagao as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to becoming President and CEO, Mr. Nagao served as the Chairman of the Board of Medicago, where for the last four years, he has guided Medicago executives to get the company to where it is today.
Medicago, a research and development company for the last 20 years, is embarking on a transformative year, one that will see the company build on its R&D roots to become a company that also produces and commercializes vaccines and other immunotherapies. Mr. Nagao has extensive experience leading pharmaceutical companies through the pre-commercial and commercial process and is well positioned to ensure the successful launch of Medicago’s COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, subject to regulatory approvals. Mr. Nagao will continue Medicago’s evolution towards its goal of being a fully operational commercial entity, able to respond to the needs of the global public health community and medical authorities and professionals.
“Taking on this new role with Medicago during this exciting time is a great honour for me,” said Mr. Nagao, President and Chief Executive Officer, Medicago. “I want our employees, investors, and stakeholders such as the Government of Canada to know that I will put all my efforts into seeing our COVID-19 and influenza vaccines through to a successful launch to protect as many people as possible.”
From 2007 to 2017, Mr. Nagao oversaw the establishment of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation’s U.S. presence and led the team that successfully achieved NDA of RADICAVA®, the first FDA-approved drug in over 20 years for the patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Prior to that, Mr. Nagao was a Managing Director in investment banking at J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank where he was responsible for global clients and leading equity and cross-border M&A transactions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector in North America, Japan and Europe. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Nagao succeeds Dr. Bruce D. Clark, who held the position of President and CEO of Medicago since 2017 and was instrumental in the development of Medicago’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
Medicago recently announced the start of Phase 2/3 clinical trial of its plant-derived VLP vaccine candidate for COVID-19 to evaluate its efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity, based on the positive Phase 1 results and subsequent allowance to advance to Phase 2/3 by the Canadian regulatory authorities. The company is also building a new facility in Quebec to increase Canada’s domestic capacity for manufacturing vaccines, producing up to a billion doses annually.
“Medicago is at an inflection point. We are moving from a research and development focused organization to become a commercial entity supplying vaccines to Canadians and people around the world,” said Mr. Nagao.
About Medicago
Medicago is a biopharmaceutical company and pioneer in plant-derived therapeutics. Founded in 1999 with the belief that innovative approaches and rigorous research would bring new solutions in healthcare.
Our mission is to improve global health outcomes by leveraging innovative plant-based technologies for rapid responses to emerging global healthcare challenges. Medicago is committed to advancing therapeutics against life-threatening diseases worldwide. Our team includes over 450 scientific experts and employees in Canada and the United States and academic affiliations in Europe and South Africa.
Medicago has previously demonstrated its capability to be a first responder in a flu pandemic. In 2009, the company produced a research-grade vaccine candidate against H1N1 in just 19 days. In 2012, Medicago manufactured 10 million doses of a monovalent influenza vaccine candidate within one month for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), part of the U.S. Department of Defense. In 2015, Medicago also demonstrated in principle that it could rapidly produce an anti-Ebola monoclonal antibody cocktail for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
For more information: www.medicago.com
To learn more about our plant-based technology: Video / Website
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201204005409/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
China Industry Leaders Convene in Jianshui to Chart the Blueberry Sector’s Growth Path22.12.2025 14:32:00 CET | Press release
The Third Yunnan Blueberry Conference and the release ceremony of the “Xinhua–Yunnan Honghe Blueberry Industry Development Index Report” opened on December 19 in Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222516223/en/ The opening ceremony of the conference on 19th Dec in Jianshui. The conference has attracted scholars, experts, business representatives, and purchasers from across China, who have gathered here to explore pathways for promoting the high-quality development of the blueberry industry. During the three-day conference, organizers convened two major signing ceremonies: a cooperation agreement to jointly establish the Yunnan Blueberry Research Institute, and a strategic agreement to enhance financial support for the full industrial chain of Honghe blueberries. Outstanding organizations and individuals contributin
Modon Holding Forms Joint Venture With Related Companies and Panepinto Properties to Deliver Harborside 4, a Luxury Residential Tower Along the Waterfront in the Heart of Downtown Jersey City22.12.2025 14:17:00 CET | Press release
Modon acquires a majority equity stake in Harborside 4, a prime 54-story development scheme in downtown Jersey City which will deliver 800 luxury rental apartments and condos in Q1 2029Joint venture with Related and Panepinto supports Modon’s ongoing strategy to diversify its global portfolio through high quality investments and strong international partnerships Modon Holding PSC (“Modon”) today announced a new joint venture to deliver Harborside 4, a 54-story residential tower on one of the last prime waterfront sites in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. Modon will hold a majority equity stake alongside leading US developer Related Companies and long-established Jersey City firm Panepinto Properties (the “Joint Venture”), marking a further milestone in the Group’s strategy to scale its diversified global portfolio. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222455854/en/ Harborside 4 render (Photo: AETOSWire) Ha
Coulson Aviation Announces Launch of Boeing 767 VLAT Program22.12.2025 14:03:00 CET | Press release
Advancing the Next Generation of High-Capacity Aerial Firefighting Coulson Aviation USA has announced the launch of its Boeing 767 Very Large Airtanker (VLAT) program, marking a significant advancement in the evolution of aerial firefighting capability. The program is intended to provide a sustainable replacement for legacy VLAT platforms nearing the end of their operational service life. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222917730/en/ A cross-sectional view of Coulson Aviation’s Boeing 767 Very Large Airtanker (VLAT) illustrates the integration of the RADS retardant delivery system and the next generation of high-capacity, sustainable aerial firefighting design. The recent grounding of the MD11 and DC10 fleets has highlighted a structural challenge for firefighting agencies worldwide. As older widebody aircraft are retired, the industry faces a significant reduction in high-capacity, large-scale retardant de
Axelspace: Notice of Signing a Service contract for In-Orbit Demonstration with Pale Blue, Inc.22.12.2025 10:00:00 CET | Press release
Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading microsatellite company committed to making “Space within Your Reach,” has entered into a service agreement with Pale Blue Inc. (“Pale Blue”), a company that develops, manufactures, and sells thrusters (engines) for small satellites, for an in-orbit demonstration, as detailed below. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219321165/en/ Jun Asakawa, Co-founder & CEO of Pale Blue (left in photo) and Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace Axelspace provides AxelLiner Laboratory (AL Lab), a new service originating from the AxelLiner business that is specialized in in-orbit demonstration of space components. Under this contract, an in-orbit demonstration of a fast-start Hall thruster developed by Pale Blue is scheduled to be conducted in 2027. Nonetheless, conducting in-orbit demonstrations in a short period of time is known to be a significant challenge due to the in
Axelspace Signing Agreement on a Multi-Launch Arrangement and the Launch of New Satellites with Exolaunch22.12.2025 10:00:00 CET | Press release
Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading microsatellite company committed to making “Space within Your Reach,” is pleased to announce a multi-launch agreement (MLA) with Exolaunch, a global launch integrator and leader in launch mission management, satellite integration and satellite deployment technologies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219038364/en/ The Multi-Launch Agreement will accelerate the growth of Axelspace. In particular, one satellite scheduled for launch under the new Agreement will be used in the AxelLiner business’s in-orbit demonstration service, “AxelLiner Laboratory”. Exolaunch has already secured launches for eight (8) Axelspace’s satellites on the upcoming missions. Axelspace provides AxelLiner Laboratory (AL Lab), a new service originating from the AxelLiner business that is specialized in in-orbit demonstration of space components. Nonetheless, conducting in-orbit demonstration
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom