Latest news with #neuropsychiatric
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Draig Therapeutics Appoints Experienced Biotech Leader Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. as Chair of its Board of Directors
Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. Strong track record at executive and board level of building company value across all stages of development including supporting the development of multiple blockbuster medicines Cardiff, United Kingdom – 15 July 2025 – Draig Therapeutics ('Draig'), a clinical-stage company aiming to transform the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases, today announces the appointment of Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. as independent Chair of its Board of Directors. He takes over from Ruth McKernan, who retains her role on the Board as a Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dr Williams brings more than 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical sector, having held executive leadership and board roles across some of the industry's most innovative companies including Biogen, ZymoGenetics, Amgen and Seattle Genetics and contributed to the development of several blockbusters therapies, including Enbrel®, Tecfidera® and Spinraza®. Ruth McKernan, Interim CEO and founder of Draig Therapeutics, said, 'Douglas's exceptional track record of developing innovative therapies and driving strategic growth makes him an ideal leader for our Board. I could not be more delighted. The Company looks forward to benefitting from his leadership and guidance in delivering transformative neuropsychiatric therapies.' 'I am honoured to take on the role of Chair as Draig Therapeutics advances its exciting pipeline into the next phases of clinical development,' said Douglas E. Williams, incoming Chair of Draig Therapeutics. 'More effective therapies for major depressive disorder and other neuropsychiatric disorders remain significant unmet needs for millions of people worldwide. Draig's scientific approach to develop novel medicines for these patients is both compelling and differentiated, and I look forward to working closely with the board and its exceptional leadership team to support the Company achieve its goals.' Most recently, Dr Williams served as the President of R&D at Sana Biotechnology, a leading cell therapy company. Prior to joining Sana, he was the founding CEO of Codiak Biosciences, where he led the company through several private financing rounds as well as a successful initial public offering. Previously, Dr Williams was Executive Vice President (EVP) of Research and Development at Biogen where he played a key role in advancing multiple programmes. Before joining Biogen, he was CEO and a board member at ZymoGenetics, where he led the company through its acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2010. Earlier in his career, Dr Williams held senior leadership roles at several prominent biotech companies, including Chief Scientific Officer and EVP R&D at Seattle Genetics (Seagen, acquired by Pfizer in 2023 for $43 billion), and Senior VP and Washington Site Leader at Amgen. He spent over a decade at Immunex, where he served as EVP and Chief Technology Officer, and was a member of the Board of Directors. Dr Williams currently serves on the boards of numerous biotechnology companies, including Climb Bio (Chair) and CAMP4 Therapeutics, eGenesis and Stablix (Director). He has also previously been Chair or Director on the boards of multiple private and public companies in the US and Europe over the past 30 years, including CytoImmune Therapeutics, Xenikos, Array Biopharma, AC Immune, Ovid Therapeutics, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals and Regulus Therapeutics, among others. ENDS For further information: Mark Swallow, Sandi GreenwoodE-mail: draigtx@ Draig TherapeuticsE-mail: rmckernan@ About Draig TherapeuticsDraig Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company with a mission to transform treatments in Neuropsychiatry. The company is leveraging its founders' unique scientific expertise in modulating the core glutamate / GABA pathways that play a critical role in neuropsychiatric diseases to advance a pipeline of groundbreaking therapies designed to address large unmet patient needs, including in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Draig is the Welsh word for 'dragon' and it reflects the company's origins in Wales. The name and logo were inspired by this heritage, reflecting its scientific roots stemming from Cardiff University. Draig was co-founded by Cardiff University and SV Health Investors, which led the seed financing with ICG, and is backed by other leading healthcare venture firms including Access Biotechnology, Canaan Partners, SR One, Sanofi Ventures and Schroders Capital. For more information, please visit Attachment Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Topflight Pharma Development Veteran Joins Synendos
Dr. George Garibaldi is named Chief Medical Officer (CMO) as Synendos transitions from Phase 1 into Phase 2 of its clinical development strategy Dr. George Garibaldi, MD BASEL, Switzerland, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synendos Therapeutics ('Synendos'), the clinical-stage biotechnology company developing breakthrough therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders, announced today that it has named Dr. George Garibaldi, CMO. This appointment is particularly timely as the company moves towards Phase 2 clinical development of its lead drug asset SYT-510. Synendos CEO, Andrea Chicca said, "It's tremendous that Synendos can attract this calibre of talent and experience. George offers a nuanced clinical perspective on the urgent needs of the patients we are looking to help, combined with specific expertise in advancing transformative neuroscience therapies from concept to clinical adoption.' Dr. George Garibaldi is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist with more than 30 years of experience leading global clinical development programs in CNS disorders. His career spans leadership roles at Roche, Novartis and Janssen, where he oversaw the development of breakthrough treatments including Ocrevus® for primary progressive and relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis and Exelon® for Alzheimer's disease and Lewi body dementia. As co-founder of Noema Pharma, he spearheaded the in-licensing and advancement of shelved CNS assets, securing major venture funding and progressing them through pivotal clinical trials. Known for his strong beliefs in empowering patients, Dr. Garibaldi has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and has developed widely used clinician- and patient-reported outcome measures. He is a founder and past president of the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology and is recognized by peers as a collaborative, strategic leader dedicated to advancing mental health and neuroscience therapeutics. 'Mental health and brain health have for far too long been underserved by traditional drug development models,' said Dr. Garibaldi. "Synendos is combining the pursuit of an innovative target with a commitment to rethinking how we design trials, measure outcomes and prioritize patient function. It's this willingness to be ahead of the curve with therapeutic innovation and a genuine patient focus that made me want to be part of the company.' He added, 'Society today recognizes that there is no health without mental health. We have the rare opportunity to chart our own path here. I am eager to lead this transformation and help this exceptional team advance the next generation of brain therapies that could truly change the lives of patients.' About SynendosSynendos is a clinical-stage, neuroscience company developing potentially breakthrough therapies for neuropsychiatric and other CNS disorders such as anxiety disorders, PTSD and other indications. We utilise the modulation of a new drug target in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that enables restoration of the natural functioning of the brain. Synendos' lead drug candidate, SYT-510, belongs to a novel class of ECS modulators named Selective Endocannabinoid Re-uptake Inhibitors (SERIs). SERIs represent first-in-class, new chemical entities that modulate the ECS through a self-limiting mode of action (MoA) with the potential to deliver meaningful benefits to patients. This novel MoA has the potential to combine treatment of a range of symptoms with sustained efficacy in large patient populations together with the potential to address a key unmet need, that of chronic tolerability, allowing more patients to stay on treatment and regain an improved quality of life. For more information please contact: Synendos Therapeutics AG Simon Russell +41 79 138 5840 O Public Relations GmbHO'Patrick Wilson o@ 78 888 4332 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at 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
Medical News Today
07-07-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Parkinson's: Cough medicine may help slow down cognitive decline
Parkinson's disease dementia develops in people who have a Parkinson's disease diagnosis. Experts are interested in finding the best ways to address and prevent Parkinson's disease dementia. A randomized clinical trial found that the drug Ambroxol may help stabilize the neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson's disease dementia, and confirmed the safety of the drug's use among participants. Dementia is a common problem that remains a critical focus of clinical research. One subtype of dementia is Parkinson's disease dementia, which has to do with the mental changes that occur in some people who already have Parkinson's disease. A study published in JAMA Neurology compared the outcome of the expectorant Ambroxol with a placebo among participants with Parkinson's disease primary and secondary outcomes were similar, participants on the placebo experienced worsening neuropsychiatric symptoms compared to symptoms remaining the same in the intervention results also showed a possible improvement in cognitive symptoms for people with variants of a particular gene. Ambroxol for brain health: Potential and limitationsThe authors of the current study note the need for disease-modifying interventions for Parkinson's disease dementia. They note that focusing on a particular enzyme, beta-glucocerebrosidase, has potential, with an increase in this enzyme possibly making things better. They also note that the medication Ambroxol affects this enzyme. This study involved examining the safety of Ambroxol, how well participants tolerated the medication, and how it affected cognitive symptoms. There were 55 participants in total. All participants were over 50 years old and had confirmed Parkinson's disease for 1 year or more before developing dementia. All participants also had a study partner, someone who was in contact with them 'at least 4 days per week.'Participants took either Ambroxol or the placebo for 1 year. Researchers had trouble with recruitment for a low-dose Ambroxol group, so this group was not included in the statistical analyses of primary and secondary outcomes. Overall, there were 22 participants in the high-dose Ambroxol group and 24 participants in the placebo group. As a primary outcome, researchers evaluated participants' conditions using two evaluations: the Clinician's Global Impression of Change and the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale version 13. They also used other evaluation tools for secondary outcomes, including the Parkinson's Disease Cognitive Rating Scale, the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, and the neuropsychiatric inventory. Researchers were able to look at cerebral spinal fluid and plasma biomarkers in some participants as well. Throughout the study, some participants withdrew due to adverse events. Eight participants in the Ambroxol group withdrew, and three in the placebo group in the Ambroxol group saw more gastrointestinal adverse events. The placebo group experienced more psychiatric adverse events and falls than the intervention group. In the statistical analyses, the primary and secondary outcomes between the two groups were about the same. Thus, Ambroxol did not appear to have a significant impact on cognition. However, researchers did observe that the neuropsychiatric inventory stayed the same for the Ambroxol group, but the placebo group got worse in this area, indicating the placebo group experienced worsening behavioral functioning. People at high risk of Parkinson's dementia may benefit moreThe authors of the study note that GBA1 gene variants can increase the risk for cognitive decline in people who have Parkinson's disease, and that 'homozygous disease-causing variants in GBA1' can increase the risk for Parkinson's disease. In participants with GBA1 gene variants, those taking the high-dose Ambroxol had decreases in neuropsychiatric inventory scores, three to a level of 'clinically meaningful improvement,' and three also had clinically important improved cognitive also observed increased beta-glucocerebrosidase levels among Ambroxol participants at the 26-week mark. Study author Stephen H. Pasternak, MD, PhD, FRCPC, a specialist in neurology, explained the following about the study to Medical News Today: 'Our goal was to test the safety and tolerability of Ambroxol and to assess its effect on cognition. We randomized 55 patients to Ambroxol 1,050 mg/day [milligrams per day] or placebo for 1 year. Ambroxol was well tolerated; we only saw stomach upset as a side effect, and it was mostly mild. Patients on Ambroxol had fewer psychiatric symptoms. Patients on placebo had a worsening of plasma GFAP, a marker of neurodegeneration. A subgroup of patients (with GBA1 mutations) appeared to have improved cognition.'How might a cough medication help maintain cognitive function?Pasternak told MNT that: 'We hope that Ambroxol, or drugs like Ambroxol, will be able to prevent the onset of Parkinson's disease and dementia if it is given early enough.' While more research is needed, this study sets up the possibility of using Ambroxol in the future to help people with Parkinson's disease dementia. Daniel Truong, MD, a neurologist, medical director of the Truong Neuroscience Institute at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, who was not involved in this research, explained that with future research this could lead to 'a new class of disease-modifying therapy for [Parkinson's disease dementia].Hypothesising on the potential mechanisms of action, Truong explained that:'Ambroxol, by enhancing lysosomal function via GCase [beta-glucocerebrosidase], may slow underlying neurodegeneration, especially in GBA1-related PDD [Parkinson's disease dementia] — marking a shift toward targeted disease modification rather than purely symptomatic treatment.' He also noted that this could lead to 'repurposing an established drug' as 'Ambroxol is already widely used as a mucolytic agent with a known safety profile.''This reduces development time, regulatory barriers, and cost, making it more feasible for rapid clinical adoption — especially in resource-limited settings,' Truong while it is commonly used in medical settings in many European countries, the expectorant drug is currently not approved in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Still, should the current study findings be confirmed by further research, Pasternak hopes experts may see the drug in a new light.'Current therapies for Parkinson's disease and dementia address symptoms but do not stop the underlying disease. These [new] findings suggest Ambroxol may protect brain function, especially in those genetically at risk. It offers a promising new treatment avenue where few currently exist,' he noted in a press research needed to confirm findingsThe study does have a few limitations. It was a fairly small study with mostly white male participants that only went on for one year. It is possible that 1 year was not long enough to evaluate changes in cognitive symptoms since the placebo group did not see declines in cognitive also note that the study was limited since it was a phase 2 trial out of a single center. They also acknowledge difficulties in recruitment and retention, and note that participants had 'limited ability to tolerate the long cognitive assessments.' The researchers did not get to conduct statistical analyses to look at differences between high and low doses of Ambroxol. They also note that the low-dose group appeared to have worse cognition. They suggest that future studies should possibly stratify participants by cognitive severity. They also acknowledge that it is possible that the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale version 13 might not have been sensitive enough to detect changes in 1 year in participants who had mild Parkinson's disease dementia. All participants in this study only had mild to moderate dementia. Finally, only eight participants total had GBA1 gene variants, so more research is needed to see if people in this group could experience distinct benefits from Ambroxol. Only three participants with GBA1 gene variants had the minimal clinically important difference in cognitive scores, and researchers acknowledge that 'this sample is too small to support any conclusion.' Pasternak and his colleagues are planning to conduct a follow-up clinical trial later in 2025. The current research received funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation, a grant-giving nongovernmental organisation in the United Kingdom.
