Ambrosia Biosciences hires obesity specialist as chief medical officer

BOULDER — Ambrosia Biosciences Inc. recently hired Dr. Linda Shapiro Manning as its chief medical officer.

Shapiro Manning, who, according to a news release from the Boulder drug-discovery company, “brings nearly three decades of leadership in obesity and cardiometabolic disease clinical care and research,” has held leadership roles with Novo Nordisk, Boehringer Ingelheim and Rhythm Pharmaceuticals.

In March, Ambrosia closed a $100 million Series B round to help fund clinical trials of its oral small molecule GLP-1 weight loss drug candidate. 

“Linda is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of obesity clinical development and extensive experience advancing novel therapies through the regulatory process. Her passion for patients and deep cardiometabolic expertise will be critical as we advance our pipeline into the clinic. I’m thrilled to welcome Linda to the Ambrosia team,” Ambrosia CEO Nick Traggis said in the release.

Founded by Traggis in 2024, Ambrosia moved into Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) previously shuttered Boulder research and development facilities and closed a $25 million Series A fundraising round late that year. 

Traggis previously served as the CEO of LightDeck Diagnostics, a medical-test maker acquired by Heska Corp. in 2022. 

Ambrosia also recently recruited University of Michigan School of Medicine professor and Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center director Dr. Randy Seeley to its board of directors.

“As a pioneer in obesity and diabetes research, his insights and experience will be instrumental as we continue to expand our robust development pipeline,” Traggis said in the release. 

Ambrosia isn’t the only Boulder-based drug-discovery firm focused on weight-loss treatments.  Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Corden Pharma International GmbH said in 2024 that it planned to invest nearly $500 million over three years to expand its operations in Boulder to produce more GLP-1 peptides.

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