Curve Therapeutics Ltd.

None Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of significant leadership hirings, firings and retirings across the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Gabrielle Masson and it will be featured here at the end of each week. Veteran Pfizer R&D leader takes a bow After leading Pfizer’s R&D unit through the pandemic, Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten, M.D., Ph.D., is heading out. The New York pharma giant announced the departure Tuesday, at the same time launching a public search for a successor. “I want to thank Mikael for his incredible contributions, not only to Pfizer and the scientific community but to the millions of patients he has impacted over the years. Mikael is a distinguished scientist, physician, and leader, and his work will undoubtedly leave an important stamp on the legacy of this 175-year-old company,” said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, Ph.D., in a statement.  Dolsten joined Pfizer after the closure of the megamerger with Wyeth in 2009. He advanced up the ranks in R&D, most recently taking on the title of CSO, president, research and development as Pfizer welcomed another company into its stable: Seagen. Story AbbVie's R&D org changes hands AbbVie is changing up the guard of its global R&D organization as Thomas Hudson, M.D., retires. He will be replaced by Roopal Thakkar, M.D. Hudson had been serving as senior vice president, chief scientific officer, global research, having joined AbbVie in 2016 to oversee oncology discovery efforts and early development. He became CSO in 2019. Thakkar, meanwhile, will rise from his role of senior vice president, chief medical officer, global therapeutics to become executive vice president, research and development and chief scientific officer. He joined the company in 2003 and has climbed the clinical development ranks since. Release With fundraise, Flagship welcomes new hires Flagship Pioneering, which just pulled in $3.6 billion through various funds, is adding a new layer of leadership through a number of promotions and executive appointments. Pharma industry veterans Lovisa Afzelius, Ph.D., and Paul Biondi have been promoted to general partner. Afzelius joined the venture creation firm from Pfizer where she led the systems immunology function, while Biondi spent 20 years at Bristol Myers Squibb before jumping to the world of venture capital. The firm also picked up Marcello Damiani from Moderna as senior partner and Gary Pisano, Ph.D., to serve as executive partner and chief strategist, among other executive appointments and hires. Release > David Johnson is the new chief operating officer of Vera Therapeutics. He was previously the chief commercial officer of Global Blood Therapeutics, which was acquired by Pfizer in 2022, from March 2018 to December 2022. He was also previously a leader at Gilead and had an 11-year tenure at GSK. Release > Two execs are out at a struggling biotech. Sanjeev Redkar, Ph.D., Apollomics’ co-founder and president, and Peony Yu, M.D., the biotech’s chief medical officer, are heading for the exit as the company narrows the scope of a key clinical trial. Fierce Biotech > Luc Boblet is joining 4Moving Biotech, a clinical-stage subsidiary of 4P-Pharma specializing in immuno-inflammation and osteoarthritis, as CEO. A former leader of Egle Therapeutics, H-IMMUNE and Pathoquest, Boblet will oversee the development of the biotech’s upcoming phase 2 trials. Release > Inovio is bringing Merck veteran Steven Egge on board as the biotech switches strategies following a phase 3 failure. As chief commercial officer, Egge will help prep for the launch of Inovio’s treatment for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, which the company plans to submit for FDA approval later this year. Fierce Pharma > Sitryx Therapeutics is shaking things up as it shuffles Chief Scientific Officer Iain Kilty, Ph.D., to new roles as CEO and board member. Former CEO Neil Weir will become president and remain on the board. The biotech hopes Kilty’s expertise will be a boon as they move their lead asset toward clinical development. Release > After a Takeda-partnered late-stage epilepsy program flopped, Ovid Therapeutics is looking to extend its cash runway by dropping two execs. Thomas Perone will cease serving as the company’s general counsel, chief compliance officer and corporate secretary, while Jason Tardio will stop serving as chief operating officer. Release > ImCheck Therapeutics is bringing Stephan Braun, M.D., Ph.D., aboard as chief medical officer to shepherd the development of their lead monoclonal antibody candidate. Braun previously served as group chief medical officer at CureTeq AG and has also held leadership positions at Basilea, Ipsen, Parexel and Symphogen. Release > Simon Jones is joining Curve Therapeutics as chief financial officer and chief operating officer. He joins from SpyBiotech, where he led finance and operations, and before that was CFO at Karus Therapeutics for almost a decade. Release > Pathios Therapeutics is prepping for the clinic by bringing on Paul Higham as CEO. Higham most recently served as CEO of Valo Therapeutics, which he led from preclinical stage into clinical development. He replaces founding CEO Stuart Hughes, Ph.D., who will be the biotech’s new chief scientific officer. Release > Jazz Pharmaceuticals is promoting Samantha Pearce, currently its senior vice president of Europe and international, to chief commercial officer. Pearce served long stints at AstraZeneca and then Celgene before joining Jazz in 2020. Fierce Pharma > Sutro Biopharma is appointing Barbara Leyman, Ph.D., as chief business development officer. Sutro is a clinical-stage oncology company developing ADCs. Leyman most recently served as senior vice president of corporate development at GenEdit and before that was a business development leader at Lyell Immunopharma and Calico Life Sciences. Release > Following Ensho Therapeutics’ acquisition of EA Pharma’s portfolio, Bittoo Kanwar, M.D., former chief medical officer of Telavant (acquired by Roche), is set to become CEO. Ensho Chief Scientific Officer Andy Whitney, Ph.D. is also set to hop aboard, along with Emily Weng as chief data science officer and Suzanne Vyvoda as chief operating officer. Fierce Biotech > Suneet Varma is retiring after 15 years as the commercial president of Pfizer’s oncology unit. Taking the helm will be Tina Deignan, Ph.D., who was most recently a senior vice president leading Novartis’ U.S. oncology business. Deignan previously worked for 15 years at Bristol Myers Squibb, mostly in the oncology division. Fierce Pharma > Lexicon Pharmaceuticals is replacing retiring Lonnel Coats with Mike Exton, Ph.D, to serve as CEO and director. Exton most recently served as the global cardiometabolic therapeutic head at Novartis and spent a total of 14 years at the pharma. Release > Roman Haehn has been appointed chief commercial officer of Mission Bio. A 25-year industry vet, Haehn comes to Mission from Agena Bioscience and previously held leadership roles at Luminex Corporation and Ventana Medical Systems. Release > EveryONE Medicines, a biotech focused on personalized genetic medicine, is appointing Kent Rogers as CEO and Josh Ofman, M.D., as chairman of the board. Rogers previously served as the chief commercial officer for EQRx. Ofman is currently the president of cancer detection company Grail. Release > Aktis Oncology, a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical biotech, is appointing Akos Czibere, M.D., Ph.D., as chief medical officer. Interim CMO Pankaj Bhargava, M.D., will transition to Aktis' scientific advisory board. Czibere most recently held the position of vice president and therapeutic area head of Hematology-Oncology at Pfizer, and prior to that was a vice president at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals. Release > Michel Dahan is the new president and CEO of Alkeus Pharmaceuticals. Company co-founder Leonide Saad, Ph.D., has been named chief scientific officer. Dahan was previously at Akebia Therapeutics for 13 years, where he served as senior vice president and chief operating officer. Release

NEW YORK, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Curve Health, a trailblazer in innovative healthcare solutions, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with MindCare, a leading provider of behavioral health services, with a focus on enhancing care delivery within Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). This collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in transforming the landscape of behavioral health care within SNFs, ensuring residents receive comprehensive and compassionate mental health support. MindCare has emerged as a frontrunner in delivering tailored behavioral health services to a diverse range of healthcare settings, including Acute Care, Corrections, and Long-Term Care. With a distinguished reputation for excellence, MindCare specializes in meeting the unique needs of individuals within SNFs, offering comprehensive solutions that promote mental well-being and improve overall quality of life. By joining forces, Curve Health and MindCare aim to develop and implement innovative solutions specifically designed to address the behavioral health challenges encountered in SNFs. Leveraging Curve Health's advanced technology and MindCare's specialized expertise, this partnership will empower SNFs to provide unparalleled mental health support to their residents. "We are excited to collaborate with MindCare to enhance behavioral health services within Skilled Nursing Facilities," said Matt Michela, CEO of Curve Health. "This partnership reflects our shared commitment to improving the lives of SNF residents by prioritizing their mental well-being. Together, we will develop tailored solutions that empower SNFs to deliver high-quality, person-centered care." Through this partnership, Curve Health and MindCare will equip SNFs with the tools and resources needed to address the growing demand for behavioral health services among residents. By integrating technology and clinical expertise, they will enable SNFs to enhance care delivery, improve outcomes, and promote overall resident satisfaction. "We are thrilled to partner with Curve Health to elevate behavioral health services within Skilled Nursing Facilities," said Tana Whitt, Chief Clinical Officer of MindCare. "Together, we will leverage our collective strengths to develop innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of SNF residents. By combining technology and specialized expertise, we aim to set a new standard for excellence in behavioral health care within SNFs." As the demand for behavioral health services continues to grow within SNFs, Curve Health and MindCare are committed to driving positive change and improving the quality of life for residents. Through strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives, they will continue to advance mental health care delivery and support the well-being of individuals within SNFs nationwide. About Curve Health: Curve Health addresses challenges in the senior care market, including fragmented services, funding gaps, and staffing shortages, which can lead to suboptimal care quality and wasted resources. Post-acute care facilities are provided with access to clinicians and proven technology to enhance quality, compliance, and efficiency while reducing waste and costs. Curve's advanced digital platform creates efficient communication channels that improve patient outcomes through technology and improved workflow, enabling clinicians and operators in post-acute settings to focus their time and efforts on improving the care experience, reducing expense, and increasing provider revenue. To learn more, visit: curvehealth.com About MindCare: MindCare Solutions, established in 2013, is a leading provider of telepsychiatry and telebehavioral health services based in Nashville, Tennessee. MindCare partners with healthcare organizations to deliver best-in-class, end-to-end telebehavioral health services that combine evidence-based care pathways, an advanced technology platform (MindCare Connect™), and high-quality providers. Implementing MindCare's services has improved access to care, increased patient flow, enhanced patient and provider satisfaction, and reduced client costs. For further information, visit: mindcaresolutions.com SOURCE Curve Health

Research led by Curve CSO Professor Ali Tavassoli's laboratory at University of Southampton Landmark paper on dual HIF-1 and HIF-2 inhibitor that works by inhibiting the interaction of both HIF-1α and HIF-2α with HIF-1β SOUTHAMPTON, England, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Curve Therapeutics ("Curve" or the "Company"), a private biotechnology company pioneering a revolutionary intracellular screening platform addressing complex and challenging disease targets, today announces the publication of an article in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). The paper entitled 'Identification and Development of Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors of Hypoxia Inducible Factors (HIF) 1 and 2 That Disrupt Hypoxia-Related Signalling in Cancer Cells' can be viewed here.1 Curve's Chief Scientific Officer, Professor Ali Tavassoli, co-authored the article and leads the academic group at the University of Southampton where the work was undertaken. Professor Ali Tavassoli, Chief Scientific Officer of Curve Therapeutics, said: "It is well recognised that HIF plays a key role in the survival and growth of solid tumours. The compounds we report in this paper inhibit the protein-protein interaction of the two subunits that form the HIF transcription factor. We show that these compounds prevent the hypoxia-induced activity of this transcription factor, stopping hypoxia-response in cell-based assays. This paper underlines the promising therapeutic potential of dual HIF inhibition as an approach for the treatment of a variety of cancers." Curve Therapeutics is a leader in the discovery of innovative therapeutics to address disease targets which are difficult to target using conventional drug discovery methods. Through the utilisation of its world leading Microcyle® discovery platform, Curve can screen directly inside mammalian cells, allowing for the identification of biologically active library members within an intracellular environment where both the library and the target are present in their native conformations. Curve is developing a non-peptidic, small-molecule dual inhibitor of HIF-1 and HIF-2 with first-in-class potential. This is the first report of a dual HIF-1 and HIF-2 inhibitor which functions by inhibiting the interaction of both HIF-1α and HIF-2α with HIF-1β. The Microcycles discovered by Prof. Tavassoli were identified using his SICLOPPS screening platform and show good cellular activity. Patents and patent applications describing these HIF inhibitory Microcycles are exclusively licensed to Curve. About Curve Therapeutics Curve Therapeutics is a private biotechnology company pioneering a revolutionary intracellular screening platform to enable the discovery of innovative therapeutics that address complex and challenging disease targets with the potential to transform the lives of patients. Curve originated from world-leading Microcycle® research conducted by Professor Tavassoli's group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. Curve is backed by blue chip investors including Advent Life Sciences, Epidarex Capital, Pfizer Ventures, Columbus Venture Partners and British Patient Capital. Curve has a US$1.7bn global research collaboration with MSD the trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ USA, to discover and validate modulators of up to five therapeutic targets using its Microcycle® technology, initially for oncology and neurology indications. For more information visit: . About Curve's Microcycle® platform Curve has developed an IP-protected, mammalian cell platform technology for functional screening and enrichment of diverse hexameric cyclic peptide Microcycle® libraries to identify those library members that have the desired biological activity against a therapeutic target. Curve's platform allows direct screening for biologically active library members inside mammalian cells and facilitates small molecule hit-to-lead programmes. A key advantage of the technology is that both the library and the target are present in all of their native conformations within a cell. Uniquely, the compact size and rigid structure of Microcycles® enables the design of non-peptide small molecule leads. The platform can be used for a wide range of therapeutically relevant targets, including protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions and has been used by Curve to develop a pipeline of cancer programmes against targets including a dual HIF-1/HIF-2 inhibitor and an inhibitor of ATIC homodimerization. [1] Andrew T. Ball, Soran Mohammed, Cyrielle Doigneaux, Reece M. Gardner, James W. Easton, Steven Turner, Jonathan W. Essex, Garry Pairaudeau, Ali Tavassoli, Identification and Development of Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors of Hypoxia Inducible Factors 1 and 2 That Disrupt Hypoxia-Response Signaling in Cancer Cells, Journal of the American Chemical Society (19 March 2024) DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10508 SOURCE Curve Therapeutics