Executive Management

Professor Ashley Woodcock serves as Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester and the Clinical Director at the North West Lung Centre, University Hospital of South Manchester. With an illustrious career beginning as an NHS Consultant Physician in Manchester in 1985, he has substantially contributed to the field through roles such as Chairman of the Clinical Assembly of the European Respiratory Society and President of the British Thoracic Society. His notable accolades include sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with the International Panel for Climate Change and Al Gore, receiving an OBE in 2006 for services to the Environment, and being named a Fellow of both the Academy of Medical Sciences and the European Respiratory Society. Professor Woodcock has co-authored over 300 original publications and has pioneered significant research initiatives including the Manchester Asthma and Allergy Study. His recent work includes leading a groundbreaking cough research group and overseeing the largest Respiratory Unit in the UK at the North West Lung Centre, which offers advanced, specialized care across all subspecialties of Respiratory Medicine.

Olivier has had a distinguished career that spans both academia and consulting for various biomedical startups based in Switzerland. He has held senior strategic and operational leadership roles of increasing responsibility since co-founding Axalbion in December 2016. Over his 20+ year career, his research in both academic and industry settings has focused on the roles of receptors and ion channels in both pathological and physiological conditions, including their regulation and pharmacology. His expertise encompasses the therapeutic areas of pain, inflammation, and peripheral neuropathies. Olivier earned his doctorate in Neuroscience from the University of Lausanne and holds a Master’s degree in Molecular Neuroscience from Montpellier University. In his current role, he works closely with our new CEO to oversee clinical development strategy and operations, CMC, intellectual property, business development operations, and KOL management for Axalbion. Olivier is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Jonathan is a qualified medical doctor from Oxford who has transitioned into a career as a strategic finance and transactions expert. After completing medical school, he joined top-performing teams in biotech equity research at Credit Suisse and Evolution. Later, he moved to Stifel to establish the European Life Sciences team and spent six years in Corporate Finance at Nomura Code. His experience with initial public offerings (IPOs) includes notable companies such as NicOx, GPC Biotech, Actelion, Entelos, and Carmat. Key fundraising efforts and transactions in his career include those of Vernalis, Summit, Medgenics, Glide Pharma, and the sale of CBT to Proximagen. He has participated in numerous deals across the UK, Europe, and the US, working with companies like HCM, ReNeuron, Calliditas, Ergomed, Nanobiotix, and Renalytx. Jonathan served as CFO at Sitryx before joining Biofidelity. Currently, he dedicates most of his time to guiding Axalbion's growth strategy, focusing on financing strategy, investor and public relations, while also leading the company's finance team and overseeing all audit committee activities for the Board. Jonathan is based in Hinxton, England, UK.