Alcyone Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Dr. Norbert Riedel as Chairman of the Board and Dr. Kathrin Meyer as Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research & Development

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May 08, 2024, 08:00 ET

--Key Additions to Executive Team as Alcyone Continues Clinical Progress--

LOWELL, Mass., May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcyone Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering next-generation precision genetic therapies for complex neurological conditions, today announces appointments of Norbert Riedel, Ph.D., a skilled and experienced biopharmaceutical executive, as the Chairman of its Board of Directors, and Kathrin Meyer, Ph.D., a leader in development and clinical translation of genetic therapies for the central nervous system (CNS), as Alcyone's new Chief Scientific Officer and Head of R&D.

"I am delighted and honored to join the board of Alcyone Therapeutics," said Dr. Riedel. "The company is developing innovative precision genetic therapies for diseases of the central nervous system and has obtained highly promising clinical results using its proprietary intrathecal drug delivery platform. I am very excited about the programs we have in development to address the significant unmet patient needs in several neurological indications."

"Developing neurological genetic therapies demands both a highly precise biological mechanism of action and effective delivery to the central nervous system. At Alcyone, we're uniquely positioned to merge optimized delivery and biodistribution with next-generation gene expression technology. This combination has the potential to revolutionize patient care, offering safer, more accessible, and more effective treatments. I'm thrilled to be a part of Alcyone, contributing to the advancement of therapies that can truly make a difference in the lives of patients and their families," said Dr. Meyer.

"With a history of innovation in developing technologies for the treatment of CNS disorders, Alcyone is rapidly advancing the development of novel precision genetic therapies for X-linked diseases, including a next-generation Rett Syndrome therapy and precision delivery and biodistribution systems," said PJ Anand, Chief Executive Officer of Alcyone Therapeutics. "Drs. Riedel and Meyer bring extraordinary skills and an immense network in the development of life-altering therapies as well as significant and relevant experience in the building of innovative companies. We are excited to welcome them to Alcyone as we embark on our next stage of growth.

Dr. Riedel has decades of leadership experience in large healthcare companies and in the biotechnology industry with a proven track record in successful company building, fundraising, and developing therapeutics across multiple indications for the CNS. His extensive industry experience includes roles as President and CEO of Aptinyx Inc., President and CEO of Naurex which was acquired by Allergan, and corporate Vice President and Chief Science and Innovation Officer at Baxter International. Dr. Riedel holds a Ph.D. and a Diploma in Biochemistry from the University of Frankfurt and serves on the boards of Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Eton Pharmaceuticals, and the Illinois Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Until its acquisition by Abbvie, he is also a member of the board of directors of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings.

Dr. Kathrin Meyer is a pioneer in the research and clinical development of novel therapies for the CNS. Until recently, Dr. Meyer was a Principal Investigator at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Abigail Wexner Research Institute Center for Gene Therapy, and an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University in Ohio. During Dr. Meyer's post-doctoral research and then tenure at Nationwide Children's, she played a key role in the successful first-in-human translation of several genetic therapies, including Zolgensma^®, intrathecal Zolgensma^®, Batten's disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Respiratory Distress type 1 (SMARD1) and Charcot Marie Tooth type 2 (CMT2S). She is a co-inventor of Alcyone's miREX™ microRNA gene expression platform with a focus on Rett Syndrome and other X-linked disorders. Dr. Meyer holds a Ph.D. in the area of molecular and cellular biology from the University of Bern in Switzerland.

About Alcyone Therapeutics

Alcyone Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering next-generation precision gene-based therapies for neurological conditions. The company integrates innovation in neuroscience and precision dosing platforms to deliver transformative therapies to patients. Alcyone leverages the synergy between Falcon™, the company's proprietary intrathecal precision dosing and biodistribution platform and novel genetic therapeutic platforms. Falcon™ incorporates deep knowledge of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) dynamics, computational modeling, and bioengineering. This comprehensive approach optimizes central nervous system dosing and delivery to better target the pathophysiology and anatomy specific to various neurological diseases. Alcyone's X-reactivation genetic therapy platform was developed at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital (AWRI) and the University of Virginia and allows expression and upregulation of X-linked genes for the treatment of X-linked disorders including Rett Syndrome.

Alcyone has a license and collaboration agreement with a large-cap biopharmaceutical company to evaluate its novel CNS delivery device to improve patient experience and access to neurological antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) genetic therapies.

For more information, visit www.alcyonetx.com.

Media and Investor Contact

PJ Anand, Chief Executive Officer
Alcyone Therapeutics
978-709-1946
[email protected]

SOURCE Alcyone Therapeutics