PolyActiva Appoints Jerry St. Peter as CEO and Secures $25M Series C Funding for U.S. Expansion and Clinical Development
Jerry St. Peter, CEO, PolyActiva Appoints • Photo Credit: PolyActiva
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MELBOURNE, Australia & FORT WORTH, Texas, June 19, 2025 (BUSINESS WATCH GLOBAL) — Biopharmaceutical company PolyActiva, a company specializing in novel drug delivery solutions for ocular conditions, has announced the appointment of Jerry St. Peter as Chief Executive Officer and the close of a $25 million Series C funding round. The financing was led by an Australian Sovereign Wealth Fund with continued support from Brandon Capital.
St. Peter succeeds Vanessa Waddell, who will remain on the executive leadership team as chief strategy officer. He brings more than 30 years of experience in ophthalmology and biopharma, having previously served as CEO of Xequel Bio and co-founder and CEO of Eyevance Pharmaceuticals, among other senior roles.
St. Peter succeeds Vanessa Waddell, who will remain on the executive leadership team as chief strategy officer. He brings more than 30 years of experience in ophthalmology and biopharma, having previously served as CEO of Xequel Bio and co-founder and CEO of Eyevance Pharmaceuticals, among other senior roles.
Under St. Peter’s leadership, PolyActiva plans to accelerate development of its lead product candidate, PA5108, a biodegradable ocular implant designed for sustained delivery of latanoprost to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with ocular hypertension and glaucoma. The company aims to expand operations in the United States while continuing its research and development activities in Australia.
“We are excited to welcome Jerry as CEO of PolyActiva. He brings more than 30 years of leadership and experience in ophthalmology and biopharma, with a strong track record of success in scaling companies, building pipelines, and delivering value. His appointment, alongside the Series C raise, marks a pivotal step as PolyActiva expands its U.S. presence to drive long-term success,” said Chris Nave, co-founder and managing partner at Brandon Capital and chairman of the board of PolyActiva.
“I’m honored to join PolyActiva at such an important point in the company’s evolution. The opportunity to lead a team with such deep technical expertise and a clear, patient-focused mission is incredibly energizing. PA5108 and the PREZIA platform offer tremendous promise in improving how we treat serious eye diseases. I look forward to building on the foundation the team in Australia has created, expanding our footprint in the U.S., and delivering transformative therapies to patients around the world,” said Jerry St. Peter, CEO of PolyActiva.
The Phase 2b study of PA5108 is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025 in the U.S. The Series C funding will also support development of PolyActiva’s broader pipeline and new applications for its PREZIA™ drug delivery platform.
For more information, visit www.polyactiva.com.
Source: PolyActiva
