Al Hawkins

MBA, Biotechnology Start-Up Expert

Al Hawkins has 25 years of experience in translating new therapies out of academic institutions into start-up companies. He co-founded gene therapy company Abeona Therapeutics, a NASDAQ-listed company that has brought two AAV therapies for lysosomal storage diseases into clinical studies. Al also co-founded Milo Biotechnology, a mid-clinical stage AAV gene therapy company that established clinical proof-of-concept in two muscular dystrophy indications. Al is currently co-founder of Amplo Biotechnology, a late preclinical AAV gene therapy focused on diseases of the neuromuscular junction, with lead therapies licensed from Oxford University, the University of Tokyo and Nagoya University, and co-founder of Myogenica, an early clinical stage muscle cell therapy spin out of the University of Minnesota. He is incubating a handful of additional academic cell and gene therapy start-ups and advises university tech transfer offices.

Previously, Al served as VP of Business Development BioMotiv, CEO in Residence at Bioenterprise, and as Director of the Boston University Venture Fund. He received an SM in Health Sciences and Technology from the Harvard-MIT Institute of Health Sciences, an MBA from University of Wisconsin Madison and a BA from Emory University.