Pfizer’s former R&D chief Mikael Dolsten joins Immunai’s board

USA – AI-driven biotech company Immunai Inc. has appointed Dr. Mikael Dolsten to its Board of Directors. Dolsten, formerly Pfizer’s Chief Scientific Officer and President of R&D, brings extensive experience in drug and vaccine development.

His role will help advance Immunai’s mission of using AI and immunology to improve therapeutic discovery.

During his 15-year tenure at Pfizer, Dolsten led a large team of scientists working across various therapeutic areas.

Under his leadership, Pfizer developed over 35 new drugs and vaccines, including the first mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine.

His work has contributed to treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, stroke prevention, and cancer, among others.

“Pharma continues turning to AI to better understand diseases and speed up drug discovery,” said Noam Solomon, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder of Immunai. “Mikael’s deep expertise in drug development will help us apply AI in ways that drive real progress.”

A Strategic addition to Immunai

Before joining Pfizer in 2009, Dolsten held senior leadership roles at Wyeth, Boehringer Ingelheim, and AstraZeneca, where he oversaw global R&D efforts and helped develop hundreds of drug candidates. He has played a role in up to 50 drug approvals throughout his career.

Excited about joining Immunai, Dolsten stated, “Immunai’s AI model of the immune system is reshaping drug discovery. I’ve seen firsthand how their AI and immunomics capabilities can enhance drug development efficiency and success rates.”

He emphasized that AI-driven immune analysis could accelerate new treatments and bring them to patients faster.

Immunai’s AI-powered drug discovery

Immunai specializes in single-cell genomics and machine learning to decode the immune system.

With a team of over 170 experts, including 85 PhDs or MDs, the company partners with leading pharmaceutical firms and academic institutions. Headquartered in New York City, Immunai has raised nearly US $270 million in funding.

Dolsten’s appointment follows Immunai’s recent partnerships with AstraZeneca and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

These collaborations leverage AI-driven tools, such as the AMICA immune cell atlas and the Immunodynamics Engine (IDE), to improve biomarker discovery, dose selection, and patient response prediction.