Accomplished oncology executive and board director brings commercial, market access and business development expertise to Vergent
MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Vergent Bioscience, a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing molecularly targeted intraoperative imaging, today announced the appointment of Paul Friel to its Board of Directors. The appointment comes as Vergent prepares for a potential New Drug Application (NDA) filing and commercialization of abenacianine in lung cancer surgery, while continuing to advance the technology across additional oncology indications.
Mr. Friel brings more than 30 years of commercial and business development experience across the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. He currently serves as Executive Vice President, Corporate Operations at Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an Angelini Pharma Company, where he leads market access, patient services, commercial operations and analytics, corporate project management, new product planning and information technology. Previously, Mr. Friel served as Chief Commercial Officer and Vice President of Business Development at Elevar Therapeutics and BeyondSpring Pharmaceuticals, where he led commercial strategy, launch planning and business development activities. Earlier in his career, he held commercial and marketing leadership roles at TAP (Takeda Abbott Products) and Takeda, helping lead more than 20 product launches across multiple therapeutic areas over his career. Mr. Friel also serves on the Boards of Directors of 28Bio and Herald Therapeutics.
“We’re delighted to welcome Paul to our Board of Directors at this exciting time in Vergent’s growth,” said Adam Gridley, President and CEO of Vergent Bioscience. “Paul has spent his career launching products, building commercial organizations and developing access strategies across oncology and other specialty markets. Paul’s unique experience with innovative go-to-market models as well as payer and hospital market access strategies will help position Vergent as a leader in the targeted molecular imaging arena and to establish abenacianine as a new standard of care in surgical oncology.”
“What excites me about Vergent is the potential for abenacianine to meaningfully change how surgeons detect and target tumors during surgery,” said Paul Friel, board member at Vergent Bioscience. “The technology is designed to work with imaging systems already used in minimally invasive and robotic procedures, which makes it a practical tool for surgeons. I’m honored to join the Board at such an important time for Vergent.”
About Abenacianine for Injection
Invented in Dr. Matt Bogyo’s lab at Stanford University School of Medicine, abenacianine is a tumor-activated intraoperative imaging platform designed to deliver molecular insight during surgery by revealing malignant tissue undetectable under white light. Administered via a short intravenous infusion several hours to several days before surgery, abenacianine binds covalently to cathepsins, a family of proteases overexpressed across a broad range of solid tumors. The agent incorporates the near-infrared (NIR) dye indocyanine green (ICG), which is compatible with commercially available NIR imaging systems widely used in minimally invasive and robotic surgery. This compatibility and dosing flexibility enable seamless integration into existing surgical workflows. In July 2026, Vergent announced positive results from the Phase 2B VISUALIZE trial, which met its primary efficacy endpoint. Abenacianine is currently being evaluated in the Phase 3 VISUALIZE-2 trial in patients undergoing surgery for suspected or known cancer in the lung.
About Vergent Bioscience, Inc.
Vergent Bioscience is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing molecularly targeted imaging technologies designed to support surgeons and unlock the full potential of minimally invasive and robotic cancer surgery. Vergent’s lead compound, abenacianine for injection, is a tumor-activated intraoperative imaging agent designed to reveal malignant tissue undetectable under white light – guiding surgical decision-making and enabling complete resections. The company is initially focused on lung cancer, with plans to expand the technology across multiple solid tumor types, including colorectal, breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers. For more information, visit www.vergentbio.com.
Vergent Bioscience is a privately held company based in Minneapolis, MN.
Contacts
Media Contact
Laura Morgan
Sam Brown, Inc.
1-951-333-9110
[email protected]
