Latest news with #HistoneDeACetylase6
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Augustine Therapeutics appoints Rie Schultz Hansen, PhD as Chief Scientific Officer and establishes Copenhagen-based subsidiary
New recruit expands senior team capabilities as the business progresses its lead HDAC6 inhibitor program, AGT-100216, into the clinic for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease and continues building its pipeline in neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases Subsidiary Augustine Therapeutics Denmark ApS, located in Copenhagen, Denmark to serve as hub for the company's research work in cardio-metabolic medicine LEUVEN, Belgium – 21 May 2025 – Augustine Therapeutics NV ('Augustine' or 'the Company'), a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through the inhibition of the cytosolic Histone DeACetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme, today announced the appointment of Rie Schultz Hansen, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer, effective immediately. With more than 20 years' experience in drug discovery and early-stage drug development, Rie is an experienced executive with a strong background in cardio-metabolic and inflammation-driven diseases as well as peptide therapeutics. Prior to joining Augustine, she served as the Chief Scientific Officer at Aelin Therapeutics, where she played a key role in developing a degrader platform based on induced protein aggregation to neutralize disease-causing proteins. Later, she spearheaded an entrepreneurial initiative advancing AI/ML-based solutions derived from Aelin Therapeutics technology, securing initial funding and forging a collaboration for assay development and high-throughput screening capabilities. Rie spent the majority of her career at the peptide development specialist Zealand Pharma (CPH: ZEAL) where she worked across multiple functional areas, mainly focused on cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Roles at Zealand Pharma included Innovation Officer, Vice President, Head of Discovery and Innovation, and Interim Chief Scientific Officer, governing the preclinical portfolio until CTA/IND submission and developing and implementing the strategy for research and chemistry for pre-clinical projects. Throughout her career Rie has maintained a strong connection with academia and has served for several years as a member of the Danish Cardiovascular Academy Grant committee. In addition, Augustine today announced the founding of a Copenhagen, Denmark based subsidiary, Augustine Therapeutics Denmark ApS, which will serve as the company's hub for research related to cardio-metabolic diseases. Gerhard Koenig, PhD, CEO of Augustine Therapeutics commented: 'Following the latest appointments of Virginie Cartage as Chief Financial Officer and Dr. Andy Hu as Chief Business Officer, I am pleased to further bolster our executive team. Rie's expertise will be instrumental in advancing Augustine's lead candidate, AGT-100216, through a Phase I/II proof-of-concept clinical trial in CMT and the Company's two other programs in discovery targeting peripherally-restricted and blood-brain barrier-penetrant HDAC6i for undisclosed neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic indications. Rie's deep knowledge around the biology of cardio-metabolic diseases will provide critical leadership as we as we grow into our next stage as a clinical stage company with a deep HDAC6i pipeline pursuing a range of clinical applications.' Rie Schultz Hansen, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Augustine Therapeutics added: 'Augustine is at a significant juncture in its development. With the Company's novel and next generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6 and successful Series A fundraise, I am eager to leverage my experience in early-stage drug development and maximise the potential of the Company's highly differentiated pipeline as we proceed into the clinic. Furthermore, the establishment of our Danish subsidiary will drive the for the expansion of our efforts in applying HDAC6i in cardio-metabolic diseases and allow us to tap into the unique depth of cardio-metabolic R&D capabilities in the Danish region.' Rie received her Master's in Biology and PhD at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Copenhagen. She is also a board member of the Peptide Therapeutics Foundation and a member of the DCAcademy Grant Committee (University of Copenhagen) and obtained her post doctorate in cardiovascular research. Media Contacts: Augustine TherapeuticsGerhard Koenig, CEOE-mail: info@ ICR Healthcare Amber Fennell E-mail: augustinetx@ About Augustine TherapeuticsAugustine Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through its next-generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6. Augustine's HDAC6 inhibitors have been purposefully designed to selectively inhibit HDAC6 while preserving its beneficial non-catalytic functions. Augustine's lead program, AGT-100216, is the first selective HDAC6 inhibitor for long-term treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. With its novel non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide producing chemotype, Augustine's HDAC6 approach is selective, avoids the limitations of other chemotypes, and built for chronic diseases. With this novel approach, the Company will also be targeting diseases beyond CMT, including neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases. Augustine Therapeutics was founded on the ground-breaking research of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven in Belgium. The Company raised an oversubscribed EUR 78 million / USD 85 million Series A financing round in March 2025, led by Novo Holdings and Jeito Capital and supported by existing investors Asabys Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, AdBio partners, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB, Gemma Frisius Fund, the US-based Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Foundation and Newton Biocapital. For more information visit in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Augustine Therapeutics builds its Management Team with Virginie Cartage joining as CFO and Dr. Andy Hu as CBO
New recruits expand senior team capabilities as the business progresses its lead HDAC6 inhibitor program, AGT-100216, into the clinic for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease LEUVEN, Belgium – 30 April 2025 – Augustine Therapeutics NV ('Augustine' or 'the Company'), a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through the inhibition of the cytosolic Histone DeACetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme, today announced the appointment of Virginie Cartage as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Dr. Andy Hu as Chief Business Officer (CBO). The two new additions to Augustine's leadership bring important and complementary new skills to the Augustine senior team including deep knowledge and expertise in finance, corporate finance, strategy, and business development. Their appointments follow Augustine's recently announced €78 million / $85 million Series A financing announcement plus the appointments of Pascale Witz as Board Chair and Gerhard Koenig as CEO earlier this year. Virginie Cartage, the newly appointed CFO of Augustine Therapeutics commented: 'It is a very exciting time to be joining the Augustine team as there is a real sense of momentum in the business. Augustine is well-funded, has highly differentiated science and is on the cusp of becoming a clinical-stage company. I am eager to leverage my financial expertise to help the company grow into its next phase of development.' Dr. Andy Hu, the newly appointed CBO of Augustine Therapeutics stated: 'I look forward to joining Augustine as a permanent member of the team. Having worked as an advisor, I have had a first-hand opportunity to appreciate the cutting-edge science behind Augustine's next-generation HDAC6 inhibitors (HDAC6i) and look forward to maximizing the opportunities ahead to fulfill the potential of our pipeline in significant cardio-metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.' Gerhard Koenig, PhD, CEO of Augustine added: 'I look forward to working with both Virginie and Andy, whose skills will be invaluable as we advance our lead program into the clinic and further build our pipeline of HDAC6i to target a broad of clinical opportunities across significant diseases which lack novel therapeutic options.' Virginie joins Augustine from Novadip, a late-stage clinical biotechnology company specializing in regenerative medicine, where she served as CFO and played a pivotal role in the company's development during its first decade. Before Novadip, she held a number of senior finance positions in Belgium and Europe with big pharma companies including AbbVie and AstraZeneca after initiating her professional career at Deloitte. She received her Master of Economics from Université Catholique de Louvain and a Master's in Accounting and Audit from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, complemented by a Management degree for the pharmaceutical sector. Prior to his appointment as CBO, Dr. Hu was an advisor to Augustine Therapeutics. Before joining Augustine, he served with Gerhard at Arkuda Therapeutics as Chief Business Officer. Arkuda, a biotech company focused on neurodegenerative diseases, was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in early 2025. Dr. Hu has served in multiple executive business and corporate development leadership roles, including at Dimension Therapeutics (acquired by Ultragenyx), Cubist Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Merck). His professional career in biotech includes work in strategic consulting at Strategic Decisions Group, and investment banking at Leerink Partners. Dr. Hu received his A. in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard University, an MD from Baylor College of Medicine, and an MBA from the Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University. Media Contacts: Augustine TherapeuticsGerhard Koenig, CEOE-mail: info@ ICR Healthcare Amber Fennell E-mail: augustinetx@ About Augustine Therapeutics Augustine Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through its next-generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6. Augustine's HDAC6 inhibitors have been purposefully designed to selectively inhibit HDAC6 while preserving its beneficial non-catalytic functions. Augustine's lead program, AGT-100216, is the first selective HDAC6 inhibitor for long-term treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. With its novel non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide producing chemotype, Augustine's HDAC6 approach is selective, avoids the limitations of other chemotypes, and built for chronic diseases. With this novel approach, the Company will also be targeting diseases beyond CMT, including neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases. Augustine Therapeutics was founded on the ground-breaking research of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven in Belgium. The Company raised an oversubscribed EUR 78 million / USD 85 million Series A financing round in March 2025, led by Novo Holdings and Jeito Capital and supported by Asabys Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, AdBio partners, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB, Gemma Frisius Fund, the US-based Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Foundation and Newton Biocapital. For more information visit
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Augustine Therapeutics appoints Industry Veteran Pascale Witz as Chair of its Board of Directors
New Chair brings more than three decades of life sciences industry experience, with a successful track record as a biotech company board member Significant leadership experience will be instrumental as Augustine transitions into a clinical-stage company LEUVEN, Belgium – 9 April 2025 – Augustine Therapeutics NV ('Augustine' or 'the Company'), a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through the inhibition of the cytosolic Histone DeACetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme, today announced the appointment of Pascale Witz as Chair of its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Pascale is a senior executive with over 30 years of experience in the life sciences industry. She was formerly Executive Vice President, Pharma Divisions, and Executive Vice President, Diabetes & Cardiovascular, at Sanofi SA, and a member of Sanofi's Executive Committee. She previously served as President & CEO at GE Pharmaceutical Diagnostics. Her expertise in strategic leadership and operational excellence will be instrumental in guiding Augustine's growth as it becomes a clinical-stage company. Gerhard Koenig, PhD, CEO of Augustine commented: 'Having had the privilege of working with Pascale at Arkuda before the company's acquisition by Johnson & Johnson, I am delighted that she chose to join the Augustine Board as Chair. She brings exceptional senior experience and key insights which will be invaluable as Augustine grows. I look forward to continuing our successful track record of working together and her guidance will be instrumental as the Augustine team advances our pipeline for patients with neurological and cardio-metabolic diseases.' Pascale Witz, Chair of Augustine Therapeutics added: 'I'm excited to be joining Augustine at a pivotal time for the company, following its successful €78 million / $85 million Series A financing round — an achievement that reflects strong confidence in the therapeutic potential of Augustine's HDAC6 inhibitors. These cytoplasmic regulators play a key role in processes to treat neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases, and the company is well-positioned, with experienced leadership with a proven track record, to maximize the potential of this promising science to develop innovative medicines. I look forward to working closely with the board and leadership team to drive strategic growth.' Pascale currently serves on the board of Fresenius Medical Care AG, Revvity, Inc. and Regulus Therapeutics, Inc., where she provides governance, financial oversight, and executive mentorship. She previously served on the boards of Horizon Therapeutics plc, Tesaro Bio, Inc., and Arkuda Therapeutics, Inc., until their acquisitions by Amgen, Inc., GSK plc and Johnson & Johnson, Inc. respectively. Additionally, Pascale serves on the boards of INSEAD and of the Global Alzheimer Platform Foundation. Pascale received a MSc in Biochemistry from INSA Lyon, and an MBA from INSEAD. She is a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (Knight of Honor), the highest French distinction, and has been recognized among Fortune's Top 20 Most Powerful Women in EMEA in 2014 and 2015. Media Contacts: Augustine TherapeuticsGerhard Koenig, CEOE-mail: info@ ICR Healthcare Amber Fennell E-mail: augustinetx@ About Augustine Therapeutics Augustine Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through its next-generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6. Augustine's HDAC6 inhibitors have been purposefully designed to selectively inhibit HDAC6 while preserving its beneficial non-catalytic functions. Augustine's lead program, AGT-100216, is the first selective HDAC6 inhibitor for long-term treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. With its novel non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide producing chemotype, Augustine's HDAC6 approach is selective, avoids the limitations of other chemotypes, and built for chronic diseases. With this novel approach, the Company will also be targeting diseases beyond CMT, including neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases. Augustine Therapeutics was founded on the ground-breaking research of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven in Belgium. The Company raised an oversubscribed EUR 78 million / USD 85 million Series A financing round in March 2025, led by Novo Holdings and Jeito Capital and supported by Asabys Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, AdBio partners, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB, Gemma Frisius Fund, the US-based Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Foundation and Newton Biocapital. For more information visit in to access your portfolio
