Arialys Therapeutics Names Peter Flynn, Ph.D., CEO and President

Arialys Therapeutics, a biotechnology company specializing in precision medicines for autoimmune neuropsychiatry, has announced that Peter Flynn, Ph.D., will serve as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Flynn brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the biotech sector, having worked with both startup and established companies. His expertise ranges from securing funding and forming pharmaceutical partnerships to advancing new therapeutics from research to clinical stages and commercializing FDA-approved treatments. Meanwhile, Jay Lichter, Ph.D., Managing Partner of Avalon BioVentures and former President and CEO of Arialys, will now chair the company’s Board of Directors.

Dr. Lichter expressed confidence in Flynn's ability to guide Arialys through the clinical development of its lead drug candidate, ART5803, intended for treating autoimmune neuropsychiatric conditions like ANRE and autoimmune psychosis. Dr. Flynn's history of successfully growing companies and his experience with clinical advancements were highlighted as key assets for Arialys. Lichter looks forward to collaborating with Flynn and the team to develop innovative precision medicines and diagnostics for neuropsychiatric disorders caused by autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Flynn remarked that Arialys is at the cutting edge of transforming neuropsychiatric treatment through precision medicine. He emphasized the significant preclinical proof-of-concept data already generated for ART5803 and expressed eagerness to work with the team and Clinical Advisory Board to move this promising therapy into clinical trials. Beyond ART5803, Flynn aims to leverage the company's insights into pathogenic autoantibodies to uncover additional therapeutic opportunities for CNS diseases driven by autoimmunity.

Before joining Arialys, Dr. Flynn co-founded Artiva Biotherapeutics, where he served as Chief Operating Officer. He was instrumental in overseeing various aspects of the company, including business development, strategy, research, manufacturing, and corporate operations. Under his leadership, Artiva secured substantial financing, cleared multiple IND applications, and established key partnerships with companies like Merck and Affimed. Before his tenure at Artiva, Flynn was a senior executive at Orexigen, overseeing the development and regulatory aspects of Contrave®, an FDA-approved weight-loss drug. He also held senior positions at Fate Therapeutics, Ren Pharmaceuticals, and KaloBios, where he contributed to the creation of platform technologies and therapeutic pipelines. Dr. Flynn holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund/University College London and completed postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (ANRE) is a rare and severe form of autoimmune encephalitis often misdiagnosed, leading to poor management. ANRE is caused by autoantibodies that affect NMDA receptors, resulting in psychosis. Arialys’ lead therapeutic, ART5803, is an antibody designed to counteract these autoantibodies. Preclinical trials in nonhuman primates have shown that ART5803 can reverse encephalitis and reduce the behavioral symptoms associated with NMDAR autoantibody pathogenicity. The U.S. FDA has granted orphan drug designation to ART5803 for treating ANRE.

Arialys Therapeutics was founded to leverage recent discoveries in autoimmune neuropsychiatry. The company aims to develop precision medicines that specifically target pathogenic autoantibodies in the brain, thereby expanding treatment options for neuropsychiatric disorders driven by autoimmune diseases. Arialys is based in La Jolla, California, within the Avalon BioVentures Accelerator on the Torrey Pines Mesa.