Absci appoints Ransi Somaratne as CMO

Absci (ABSI) announced the appointment of Ransi Somaratne, M.D., FACC, MBA as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Somaratne will spearhead the clinical development strategy and execution for Absci’s expanding pipeline of AI-designed therapeutics. Somaratne is a physician-scientist and seasoned biopharmaceutical executive who joins Absci from Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), where he served as Senior Vice President of Clinical Development. Alongside Dr. Somaratne’s appointment, Absci announced the retirement of Professor Andreas Busch, Ph.D.. As Chief Innovation Officer, Professor Busch was a driving force in building Absci’s AI-designed therapeutics pipeline, most notably in the discovery and development of ABS-201. Professor Busch will transition from his executive duties on March 31, 2026 to co-chair Absci’s Scientific Advisory Board, where he will continue to provide scientific and strategic advice and oversight to the company.