SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc. appointed David Zaccardelli, Pharm.D., to its Board of Directors as Chair of the Board and Rita Jain, M.D., as an independent director, both effective January 7, 2026. Dr. David Zaccardelli is an accomplished biopharmaceutical executive with more than 20 years of experience leading companies through transformational growth, including leading organizations from clinical stage to commercialization. He most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Verona Pharma until its acquisition by Merck & Co., Inc. Under his leadership, the Company successfully completed two Phase 3 trials, received its first FDA approval, and launched Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine).
During his tenure, Dr. Zaccardelli was recognized as Executive of the Year at Scrip?s 2023 Awards. Prior to Verona Pharma, Dr. Zaccardelli served as President and CEO of Dova Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. company developing therapeutics for rare diseases, from December 2018 until its acquisition by Swedish Orphan Biovitrum in November 2019. Previously, he was Acting CEO of Cempra, from 2016 until the company?s merger with Melinta Therapeutics in 2017.
From 2004 until 2016, Dr. Zaccardelli served in several senior management roles at United Therapeutics Corporation, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Manufacturing Officer, and Executive Vice President, Pharmaceutical Development and Operations. Prior to United Therapeutics, he founded and led a start-up company focused on contract research and held a variety of clinical research positions at Burroughs Wellcome & Co, Glaxo Wellcome, and Bausch & Lomb Pharmaceutical. Dr. Zaccardelli received a Pharm.D. from the University of Michigan and completed a fellowship in clinical research and drug development at the University of North Carolina.
Dr. Rita Jain is a rheumatologist who brings more than two decades of leadership experience in biopharmaceutical development, clinical strategy, and regulatory affairs across multiple therapeutic areas, including immunology, inflammation, nephrology, and rare diseases. She most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at ChemoCentryx, where she advanced development and supported commercialization of Tavneos (avacopan), a first-in-class treatment for ANCA-associated vasculitis, and supported the company?s acquisition by Amgen in 2022. Prior to that, she was Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Akebia Therapeutics.
Additionally, Dr. Jain held key leadership positions at AbbVie, Abbott Laboratories, Pfizer, and Immunovant, overseeing global development programs, regulatory interactions, and clinical operations for multiple therapeutic candidates. She also serves on the boards of Celldex Therapeutics, AnaptysBio, and Avalo Therapeutics. She previously served on the board of directors of Provention Bio, Inc., until its acquisition by Sanofi; ChemoCentryx, Inc., until its acquisition by Amgen; and AM Pharma.
Dr. Jain received her M.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Medicine and completed her residency in internal medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, followed by a fellowship in rheumatology at North Shore University Hospital and a Clinical Research Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
