Crystalys Therapeutics appoints Justin Thacker as Chief Financial Officer
Esme Needham | January 27, 2026 | Appointment | | Crystalys Therapeutics, chief financial officer
Crystalys Therapeutics has announced the appointment of Justin Thacker as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Thacker has spent over 20 years in leadership roles across the life sciences industry. He was most recently CFO of Capstan Therapeutics, during which time he assisted in the $2.1bn acquisition of the company by AbbVie. He also held the role of CFO at Aristea Therapeutics. Other senior finance roles held by Thacker include: VP Finance at Design Therapeutics; VP Finance and Controller at Synthorx; and Executive Director, Controller at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals. He was also Senior Director Finance at both Auspex Pharmaceuticals and Cadence Pharmaceuticals.
His areas of expertise include product launches, mergers and acquisitions transactions and initial public offerings (IPOs).
The appointment will help to drive Crystalys’ future growth. The company’s lead candidate, dotinurad, is currently in clinical development as a treatment for gout and has already obtained regulatory approvals in Japan, China, Thailand and the Philippines.
Thacker said: “The initiation of our phase 3 trials, RUBY and TOPAZ, evaluating dotinurad as a potential best-in-class gout therapy…marks a transformative moment for the company.”
James M Mackay, CEO and president of Crystalys, added: “Justin brings exceptional expertise and a proven track record of financial stewardship and strategic transactions. His experience strengthens our organisation, and Justin’s contributions will play a critical role as we advance dotinurad through phase 3 clinical trials and regulatory approval.”
Crystalys is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specialising in the development of treatments for gout.
