Peter Licari

At Animate Biosciences, we’re driven by a vision to outsmart one of the most deadly biological challenges: fibrosis. By harnessing the power of AI and multi-omic insights from nature’s most potent regenerators, we’ve built a biotechnology platform that designs and optimizes peptide-based solutions to combat fibrosis.

Led the research and development team, which included Chemistry, Food Science, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Regulatory, Quality and Program Management disciplines, across all plant protein and cellular agriculture platforms for the creation of novel food products such as plant-based eggs (JUST Eggs) and cultivated chicken (GOOD Meat Chicken). Regarding JUST Egg, I managed the cost-effective development, scale-up, and manufacturing of native protein isolate from mung beans into products, capturing the unique protein functionalities important in food. I identified and transformed a brown field site to house new protein isolation technology, capable of several million pounds per year capacity. Regarding GOOD Meat cultivated chicken, or chicken grown through cell culture, I was responsible for the development of large-scale, serum-free cell culture processes that achieved cell density and media cost KPIs over a five-year plan while also managing the development and manufacturing of cultivated chicken products, largely indistinguishable from traditional farm-raised chicken. Achievements included the first in the world regulatory approval of cultivated chicken in Singapore in 2020, first regulatory approval of cultivated chicken using serum-free media in 2023, as well as FDA and USDA approvals in 2023.

Focused on the development and commercialization of products using heterotrophic algal processes, I was accountable for a diverse Technology team that included Molecular Biology, Strain Development, Analytical Chemistry, Process Development, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Regulatory, and Program Management functions. Responsible for scaling and operation of TerraVia’s processes, I led the team that built one of the largest aerobic fermentation (five 625 cubic meter scale) production facilities in the world in São Paulo State, Brazil. My involvement in strategy development, prioritization of projects, and technology development allowed for the development of commercialized novel products: AlgaPrime® (non-fish-based Omega-3 aquaculture ingredient currently fed to over 35% of all farmed salmon globally), Thrive® Culinary Oil (a unique heart-healthy cooking oil with over 90% monounsaturated fat), AlgaVia® Powders and AlgaWise® Oils, which received novel FDA GRAS “No Questions” determinations as well as many international approvals.

A member of the executive management team accountable for the development of preclinical and clinical drug candidate pipeline through the direction of Process Development, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Regulatory departments. Developed fermentation and recovery processes for several NCEs, ultimately scaling to 10,000-L fermentation scale. Responsible for management of outsourced contracts in India, Taiwan, Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Germany, and the US. Developed various drug product formulations, including the development of a novel nanosuspension that provided intellectual property rights on a public domain molecule, as well as two novel polyketides for oncology clinical programs.

Responsible for the manufacture and development of licensed and investigational vaccines, including diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b-tetanus conjugated vaccines. Accountable for manufacturing facility and supply chain management.

Managed fermentation and cell culture development group for an array of projects. Served as project leader for Humira process development program: 1) coordinated and supervised interdisciplinary team responsible for transfection and amplification of human MAbs in multiple cell lines and 2) developed lab-scale cell culture processes and scaled process to manufacturing scale.

Worked on the development of a perfusion-based process for attenuated hepatitis A virus production in cell culture.