Neurosearch

Novo Holdings-founded biotech Hoba Therapeutics has raised $25 million in the first close of a Series A financing to bankroll its investigational medicines for pain and hearing loss. Copenhagen-based Hoba, which got its start about seven years ago after acquiring IP from NeuroSearch spinoff NsGene, has a non-opioid candidate that it hopes could follow in the footsteps of Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ leading program. Boston-based Vertex is on the verge of a late-stage readout for its candidate VX-548 for acute pain. You’ll get access to free articles each month, plus you can customize what newsletters get delivered to your inbox each week, including breaking news.

-Dr. Jacob Jacobsen Appointed to President & Chief Executive Officer- RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Evecxia Therapeutics, Inc., the leader in serotonin synthesis amplification to treat brain disorders, today announced that Dr. Jacob Jacobsen has been appointed President and CEO. Dr. Jacobsen succeeds Joseph Patti, Ph.D., who has stepped down from his role as President and CEO of Evecxia to pursue other interests. “On behalf of Evecxia, we would like to thank Joe for his contributions to the Company, and we wish him best in his future endeavors,” said John Kaiser, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. “We are excited to appoint Jacob as Evecxia’s next CEO to advance Evecxia’s pipeline of two Phase 2-ready drug candidates, EVX-101 and EVX-301, to help improve the lives of those suffering from disabling neuropsychatric disorders.” Dr. Jacobsen is the inventor of the serotonin synthesis amplification therapeutic concept. Prior to joining Evecxia, he was a scientist at Duke University and Duke-National University Singapore, where he was the driver of a cross-disciplinary team executing seminal research on the serotonin synthesis amplification therapeutic concept. While a scientist at Duke University, he co-founded Evecxia with the late James B Duke Professor, Dr. Marc Caron. Dr. Jacobsen earned his Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology from the University of Copenhagen and has previously worked in drug discovery at Lundbeck and NeuroSearch, where he executed various drug discovery and target validation projects. “I am excited to be leading Evecxia at this pivotal time in the Company’s history,” said Dr. Jacobsen. “Evecxia has made great strides to advance both EVX-101 and EVX-301 through Phase 1 trials, both of which produced excellent safety, acceptable tolerability, and evidence of brain serotonin target engagement. I look forward to leading the company as we advance EVX-101 and EVX-301 into Phase 2 development, striving to bring safer and potentially more effective treatments to patients suffering from disabling neuropsychiatric disorders.” About Evecxia Therapeutics Evecxia’s mission is to help patients suffering from disabling neuropsychiatric conditions for which current therapies are inadequate. Evecxia is the first company dedicated to realizing the therapeutic potential of amplifying serotonin synthesis to treat brain disorders. Serotonin synthesis amplification differs from targeting serotonin transporters (e.g., SSRIs) and receptors (e.g., psilocybin). Evecxia deploys 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the natural serotonin precursor, delivered via proprietary drug delivery technologies to achieve sustained serotonin synthesis amplification. Evecxia has two Phase 2 clinical-stage drug candidates in development. EVX-101 is being developed as an adjunctive treatment for depression when first-line SSRI/SNRI antidepressants alone are inadequate. EVX-301 is being developed as a rescue therapy for acute suicidal crisis. For additional information about Evecxia, please visit .

TORONTO, April 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dalriada, a leading Canadian contract research organization specializing in small molecule therapies, announces today the appointment of Frosty Loechel, Ph.D. as SVP Biology, Discovery Strategy group. The appointment confirms Dalriada’s ambition to remain at the forefront of expertise and capabilities in small molecule drug discovery with its pioneering and agile TURN-KEY™ model. Dr. Loechel joins Dalriada from Evotec, where first as a VP, Metabolic Diseases, and then as SVP, Therapeutic Area Lead and Scientific Director, he built up a large department and led new collaborative drug discovery agreements with pharma/biotech partners and on the strategy of project portfolio in major multi-target collaborations. Prior to this Dr. Loechel spent his career at Lundbeck, Thermo Fisher, Neurosearch and BioImage. At Dalriada, Dr. Loechel will be responsible for scientific strategy in biology for drug discovery programs. With 20 years’ academic experience and 25 years working in pharma, biotech and contract research organizations, Dr. Loechel brings a wealth of experience across multiple areas and therapeutic modalities of drug discovery, from target validation to preclinical development. His areas of expertise include in vitro pharmacology, small molecules, CNS, and metabolic therapy areas. Welcoming Dr. Loechel to the Company, Dalriada’s Chief Executive and co-founder, Dr. Diana Kraskouskaya commented: “I am delighted to have Dr. Loechel join Dalriada. From enabling complex biology, to build-out of discovery pipelines and platforms, we strive to be an ultimate partner for our biotech clients. Dr. Loechel brings not only heaps of industry experience in small molecule discovery, but also importantly, effective strategies in enabling innovative discovery programs and bringing them to the clinic.” Prof. Patrick Gunning, Dalriada’s co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer added: “Dalriada is pioneering its TURN-KEY model in the industry to provide ultimate support for small molecule discovery programs globally. The appointment of Dr. Loechel is another significant step in Dalriada’s commitment to offer top expertise to the programs we support.” Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Loechel said: “I am delighted to join Dalriada, a company at the forefront of covalent approaches and other novel small molecule modalities, and I look forward to making a difference working alongside such an ambitious and highly competent team.” He added: “Over decades of industry experience, I have seen the evolution and re-shaping of the pharmaceutical industry and strength and weaknesses of various outsourcing and in-house discovery models. Dalriada’s pioneering TURN-KEY model is best suited for the heavily virtual and semi-virtual biotech sector in drug discovery, bringing in one place everything that a biotech needs for agile execution.” Dr. Loechel’s full biography is available at https://dalriadatx.com/about/frosty-loechel/ Note to editors: About Dalriada Drug Discovery Inc. Dalriada, through its TURN-KEY™ Drug Discovery services model, provides a full suite of drug discovery, medicinal chemistry and intellectual property services for semi-virtual, lean biotechnology clients who focus on developing small molecule therapies. With R&D operations in Mississauga, Canada, Dalriada builds focused teams with expertise in MedChem, Biology and ADME to allow for the most rapid and cost-effective project execution and value building. Dalriada has niche expertise in several areas including covalent drug discovery, GPCR programs, targeted protein degradation, novel hetero-bifunctional modalities and CNS programs, with proprietary screening platforms in several of these areas. About Dalriada’s TURN-KEY model TURN-KEY™ provides a powerful one-stop alternative to the prevailing CRO models, fulfilling the most common needs of small to medium-size biotech companies. Via its three key operational pillars of Discovery Labs, Discovery Strategy and Discovery Management, the model reduces the costs of internal R&D and G&A, shortens the timelines to reaching value inflection points, and removes the burden of managing a network of sub-contractors. Our partners instantaneously tap into deep expertise in small molecule discovery (including a curated network of global Key Opinion Leaders), agile execution in integrated lab, and subcontracting and project management teams. The model is fundamentally based on agility, collaborative approach, focus on building value, expert input, and quality execution. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2514d013-76da-4009-8b97-3a2b1676fc84