Hospira Recruits Kurt Gunter, MD, to Lead Cell Therapy Initiatives

Life Science Partner recruit offers valuable experience in regulatory and commercialization strategy

Life Science Partner announces the recruitment of Kurt C. Gunter, MD, as medical director, cell therapy of Hospira, a Chicago area based medical products company.  Hospira is a specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company launched from the core global hospital products business of Abbott Laboratories.  With the recruitment of Gunter, Hospira now has a leader in the field of cell therapy to provide scientific and medical leadership for technology assessment and investment, and manage key relationships with academic and research institutions.  He will have the critical responsibility for representing the cell-therapy companies seeking investment and/or partnership.

“Kurt has a broad background in cell and gene therapy – with a specific expertise in developing regulatory guidelines for the field,” noted Tom Callaway, MD, founder and president of Life Science Partner.  “Few can match his experience in the use of cells for new therapies that hold out the promise to cure intractable diseases.”

As the vice president and medical affairs/governmental relations of ZymeQuest, Gunter led the clinical strategy of a biotechnology company removing A and B antigens from red blood cells to create “universal donor” blood.  Previously, he held a similar role at ViaCell, a cord blood banking and cell therapy company.  His first commercial experience was as vice president, clinical and regulatory for Transkaryotic Therapies (TKT) supervising all regulatory filings for its orphan drug program.

His earlier career was as a researcher and clinical pathologist at Children’s National Medical Center, George Washington University Medical School, and the FDA, where he was acting director, division of cellular and gene therapy.  A recognized leader in the field, he was appointed as the industry representative to the standards-setting organization, the FDA Cellular Tissue and Gene Therapy Advisory Committee.

Gunter earned his BS at Stanford and his MD at University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency.  He continued his anatomical pathology training at University of Maryland and was a biotechnology fellow in molecular immunology at the National Cancer Institute.