Suma Krishnan: Scientist Who Built a $4.4B Biotech Empire

Suma Krishnan: The Woman Who Turned Butterfly Skin into a Treatable Condition

Born and raised in Bombay (now Mumbai), Suma Krishnan grew up in a modest household where ambition often clashed with tradition. As the middle child in a family navigating financial struggles, she learned early that resilience was not optional—it was essential.

In a cultural environment where arranged marriages were expected and conventional paths encouraged, Suma Krishnan chose something radically different: independence. She defied expectations, resisted early marriage proposals, and pursued higher education abroad—an act of courage that would shape the trajectory of her life.

She moved to the United States to earn her Master of Science in Organic Chemistry from Villanova University. Later, she added an MBA from the Institute of Management and Research in India, equipping herself with both scientific depth and business acumen. That rare combination would later become her greatest strategic advantage.

Suma Krishnan: A 25-Year Legacy in Drug Development

Before founding Krystal Biotech, Suma Krishnan built an extraordinary career in pharmaceutical innovation.

She began as a discovery scientist at Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of Johnson & Johnson, where she honed her understanding of therapeutic science. She later advanced her expertise at Pfizer and Shire, contributing to the development and approval of major therapies.

Her defining breakthrough came at New River Pharmaceuticals, where she led the discovery, development, and approval of Vyvanse™—a blockbuster treatment for ADHD. She also helped advance Adderall XR®, further cementing her reputation as a high-impact drug developer.

When European pharmaceutical giant Takeda Pharmaceutical Company acquired Shire for $62 billion in 2018, it underscored the enormous value of the drug portfolio she had helped build.

By the time she became Head of Therapeutics at Intrexon (now Precigen), Suma Krishnan had already accumulated more than 25 years of experience, over 20 scientific publications, and dozens of U.S. patents. Yet she was far from finished.

The Bold Idea That Changed Everything

In her late 40s, Suma Krishnan encountered a devastating rare disease: Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (DEB), often called “butterfly skin disease.” Patients—many of them children—live with skin so fragile it tears at the slightest touch.

Most pharmaceutical leaders would have dismissed the opportunity. Only about 3,000 patients in the United States suffer from the dystrophic form. The market was small. The science was untested. The regulatory pathway was unclear.

But Suma Krishnan saw something others did not: possibility.

She envisioned delivering gene therapy not through invasive procedures but as a gel applied directly to the skin—redoseable, practical, and transformative. The idea was revolutionary. Regulators had never approved anything like it.

In 2016, at age 51, she and her husband, Krish Krishnan, co-founded Krystal Biotech in Pittsburgh. They invested approximately $5 million of their own money—eschewing venture capital—to pursue what many considered an impossible dream.

Suma Krishnan: VYJUVEK™ – The World’s First Topical Gene Therapy

The result of that bold gamble was VYJUVEK™, approved by the FDA in 2023. It became the world’s first redosable topical gene therapy for Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa.

Unlike traditional gene therapies delivered intravenously or surgically, VYJUVEK™ uses a modified herpes simplex virus vector to deliver a healthy copy of the collagen gene directly into skin cells. Applied as a gel, it enables wounds to heal in patients whose bodies cannot naturally produce the necessary protein.

For families living with DEB, this was not just a drug approval. It was hope.

Under Suma Krishnan’s leadership, the company moved at astonishing speed—going public just 18 months after launch on the Nasdaq. Since its IPO, the company’s stock has risen more than 1,300%, despite natural market volatility.

By 2024, Krystal Biotech reported revenue of $291 million, up more than fivefold from the previous year. Net income surged to $89 million. The company’s market capitalization exceeded $4.4 billion.

Expanding the Gene Therapy Frontier

Suma Krishnan did not stop at one breakthrough. Krystal Biotech is now expanding its gene-delivery platform into oncology, respiratory diseases, cystic fibrosis, and even aesthetics.

Each therapy builds upon the same core platform technology—refined, optimized, and redeployed across therapeutic areas. This strategic scalability reflects her long-term vision: not a single product company, but a platform enterprise capable of rewriting medical treatment paradigms.

Her ability to bridge scientific rigor with entrepreneurial foresight is what separates Suma Krishnan from many of her peers.

Recognition and Global Impact

In February 2026, Suma Krishnan was named among Forbes 250 America’s Greatest Innovators. She also earned a place on the Forbes 50 Over 50 list in 2025—joining a distinguished group of leaders redefining impact in their sixth decade and beyond.

Her estimated net worth ranges between $287 million and $300 million, largely derived from her 12% combined stake with her husband in Krystal Biotech.

Yet when she speaks about success, she rarely mentions wealth.

“You have to be brave and bold to do this,” she has said. “I was never afraid of risk-taking. I never felt like I needed a stable job.”

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