Bio Markus EN

Markus Cappel

Markus is an accomplished executive with over thirty years of experience in the biotech industry, known for his entrepreneurial acumen and consistently achieving outstanding results. His passion for developing novel medicines for patients with unmet medical needs has seen him transform a biotech organization from the discovery stage to a fully integrated commercial entity. He has a strong academic foundation in science and business, including an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from J.W. Goethe University in Germany.

In his most recent role as Chief Business Officer at ChemoCentryx, Markus played a pivotal role in Amgen’s $4 billion acquisition of the company, securing a 116% premium.

Markus led the product development and key aspects supporting the commercialization of TAVNEOS® (avacopan) across seven major markets countries. Markus also led the global commercial supply team, coordinating with ex-US alliance partners. He led multi-party negotiations with major pharma companies, securing a favorable commercialization agreement that preserved US commercial rights and development controls. At ChemoCentryx, he raised $435 million in public offerings, including an IPO, $138 million in private equity financing rounds and over $250 million in non-dilutive funding.

Before this, Markus served as VP of Business Development at Advanced Inhalation Research, where he provided executive-level support for the firm’ sale to Alkermes after just 18 months of operation. He forged a strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline in four respiratory fields, securing a $125 million upfront payment through high-stakes negotiations. Markus also negotiated an exclusive deal with Eli Lilly for the pulmonary delivery of human growth hormone and insulin.