Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced a leadership transition whereby Dr. Deborah L. Birx will succeed Dr. Brian Varnum as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective immediately. Deborah L. Birx, M.D. is a world-renowned medical expert who most recently served as the response coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Previously, she served as Ambassador-at-Large, when she assumed the role of the Coordinator of the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy.

Dr. Birx also served as the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, overseeing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) at the CDC and as the Director of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program (USMHRP) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. From 1980 until 2008, Dr. Birx served in the United States Army, retiring as a colonel. Dr. Birx has published over 230 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, authored nearly a dozen chapters in scientific publications, and developed and patented vaccines.

She received her medical degree from the Hershey School of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, and beginning in 1980, she trained in internal medicine and basic and clinical immunology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Birx is board certified in internal medicine, allergy and immunology, and diagnostic and clinical laboratory immunology. Dr. Birx was formerly a member of Innoviva's Board of Directors since March 2021 until July 2023.

Dr. Birx resigned from the Board of Innoviva prior to the appointment as Armata's CEO.