NewLink Genetics Corp. announced that its co-founder, Dr. Charles Link Jr., has chosen to retire as chairman, CEO and chief scientific officer of the company, and will also resign from the board effective Aug. 3. Link co-founded the Ames-based vaccine company in 1999 and was named CEO and chairman in 2003. NewLink’s board has established an Office of the CEO to lead the company and elected four members to that office who will have full executive authority: Carl Langren, chief financial officer; Dr. Eugene Kennedy, chief medical officer, Brad Powers, general counsel, and Lori Lawley, vice president of finance and controller. The company reported a net loss of $10.1 million for the second quarter, compared with a net loss of $17.3 million for second quarter 2018. NewLink Genetics ended the second quarter with $105.4 million in cash, which the company estimates is sufficient to fund operations through the end of 2021.