Biotech startups strengthen their teams for the next steps

Therachon was responsible for one of the largest Swiss financing rounds in 2018. The company developing medicines for serious rare conditions raised CHF60 million. Now, Therachon has hired a new CFO. Claudia D’Augusta brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance functions, 14 of which have been in the life sciences sector. She recently served as CFO at TiGenix, a biopharmaceutical company that developed Alofisel, the first allogenic stem cell product to receive marketing authorization for the treatment of perianal fistulas in Crohn’s patients, and was acquired by Takeda in 2018. At TiGenix, Claudia led the company through critical milestones, including a successful IPO on the NASDAQ in 2016. Prior to that, she served as CFO of Cellerix, a stem cell therapy company focused on immune-based diseases and led its 2011 reverse-merger with TiGenix.

Asceneuron and Anokion plan clinical trials for 2019
Asceneuron, an emerging leader in the development of orally bioavailable modulators of tau pathology for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, today announces the appointment of Peter Van Vlasselaer as Chair of the Board of Directors. Peter Van Vlasselaer, PhD has over 20 years executive and entrepreneurial experience in the biotech industry. He was most recently the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of ARMO Biosciences, Inc. which shortly after its public offering (Nasdaq: ARMO) was acquired by Eli Lilly. Prior to this, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of iPierian (acquired by BMS), ARRESTO (acquired by Gilead) and AVIDIA (acquired by AMGEN).

Asceneuron’s lead program ASN120290 has the potential to become a first in class treatment for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and other tau-related dementias. A clinical trial is ongoing with ASN120290 to quantify target engagement in the human brain using positron emission tomography (PET) the results of which will guide dose selection for an efficacy trial in PSP planned for later this year. 

Anokion expects a first trial of novel immune tolerance therapies also this year. The company develops novel, antigen-specific treatments for autoimmune disease and has now appointed Simon Cooper to the newly created position of chief medical officer. He will lead Anokion’s team that is advancing the company’s development pipeline into clinical testing. Cooper brings over 20 years of diverse clinical development experience, including biological drug development in immunology. He has served in multiple senior roles at Abbvie, Sanofi, Novartis and Roche.

(SK)

Picture: Claudia D’Augusta, Peter Van Vlasselaer, Simon Cooper (from left to right)