By Kevin Davies
April 8, 2009 | Navigenics marked the first anniversary of its personal genomics service by appointing Jonathan Lord as its new president and CEO.
The company, co-founded by oncologist David Agus and neurogeneticist Dietrich Stephan, launched in April 2008 with a lavish reception in Manhattan, marking the official release of its $2500 Health Compass service, which includes free genetic counseling for clients. While more affordable services from 23andMe and deCODEme have focused on reaching the consumer directly, Navigenics has focused much of its efforts in the past 12 months on building partnerships with leading medical centers, including the Mayo Clinic and the Scripps Research Institute, and concierge medical organizations such as MDVIP.
Following the departure six weeks ago of founding CEO Mari Baker to video game company PlayFirst, Navigenics believes Jonathan “Jack” Lord has the pedigree to lead the company. University of Miami president Donna Shalala, a former US Secretary of Health and Human Services, called Lord “a visionary who… has been a recognized leader in preventive medicine, consumer health and genetic science.”
Lord was formerly the chief innovation officer at Humana, where he was responsible for designing products and services to help people navigate the healthcare system. Prior to that, he was president of Health Dialog in Boston and chief operating officer of the American Hospital Association in Washington D.C. He has also been executive vice president of Sun Health in Charlotte, NC.
“I am excited about the prospects of leading a company that will transform healthcare,” Lord says. “Navigenics’ leadership in science, its exceptionally committed and leading-edge investors, and strong management team make this the most exciting opportunity of my career.” He added: “I am very honored to have the privilege to lead this company as we transform healthcare for the 21st century – an era of healthcare we hope will be marked by a focus on prediction and prevention."
Lord has also served on the board of directors at TheraSense, Stericycle, and Dexcom, and has been an advisor for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Chronic Disease and Malnutrition. Navigenics board member Dana Mead Jr. praised Lord’s “unique, 360-degree understanding of the healthcare ecosystem” as a key factor in his appointment.
News of Lord’s appointment, which takes effect next month, caps a busy week for the Navigenics brain trust. Dietrich Stephan recently announced his plans to found the Ignite Institute for Individualized Health, to be based in Northern Virginia. Meanwhile, fellow co-founder David Agus just assumed a new position as the director of the University of Southern California Center for Applied Molecular Medicine. He was formerly the director of the Spielberg Family Center for Applied Proteomics at Cedars-Sinai Medical School.