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<\/a><\/a>\nIn connection with his appointment, Mr. Palekar was elected Chairman of the Newleos Board. Christoph Westphal, M.D., Ph.D., who has served as Newleos\u2019 Executive Chairman since the company\u2019s founding, will step down from the role but will continue to serve on the Newleos Board on behalf of founding investor Longwood Fund.<\/p>
\n\u201cI am honored to join the Newleos Board as the company approaches key clinical inflection points in its ongoing anxiety trials,\u201d said Mr. Palekar. \u201cThe CNS field is ripe for innovation, and Newleos holds the potential to address significant unmet need in patient communities that are underserved by traditional SSRIs and benzodiazepines.\u201d<\/p>
\nMr. Palekar brings over 30 years of industry perspective to the Newleos Board with a proven track record of company building from venture-backed biotechnology start-ups to commercial-stage enterprises and executing on clinical trials amidst operational challenges. Prior to 89bio, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Avanir Pharmaceuticals, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system (CNS) disorders, after serving as the company\u2019s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer. Avanir was acquired by Otsuka Pharmaceutical in 2015. Prior to Avanir, Mr. Palekar served as Chief Commercial Officer at Medivation overseeing commercial, medical affairs and CMC & manufacturing activities. Earlier in his career, Rohan was at Johnson & Johnson in various senior commercial and strategic management roles, including leading the company\u2019s immunology franchise. Mr. Palekar also serves on the board of directors of Neurogene (Nasdaq: NGNE), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing life-changing genetic medicines for devastating neurological diseases. He previously served on the board of Neoleukin Therapeutics.<\/p>
\n\u201cWe are thrilled to welcome Rohan to the Newleos Board of Directors,\u201d said Christoph Westphal, Newleos\u2019 co-founder. \u201cRohan brings an extraordinary record of industry success with broad strategic and operational experience across many therapeutic areas, including CNS, at biotech and pharma companies of all sizes.\u201d<\/p>
\n\u201cWe would like to thank Christoph for his support in launching Newleos and our portfolio of differentiated product candidates for some of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric indications,\u201d noted Timothy Noyes, Newleos\u2019 Chief Executive Officer. \u201cOn behalf of the Board, we are grateful for his many valued contributions as Executive Chairman and look forward to his continued insights and guidance as we advance the company to the next stage of development.\u201d<\/p>
\nAbout Newleos Therapeutics, Inc.<\/b><\/p>
\nNewleos Therapeutics is dedicated to providing a new dawn or \"eos\" for the one in every eight people around the world who are suffering from mental illness. The company\u2019s pipeline was licensed from Roche and focuses on innovative neuropsychiatric mechanisms of action that aim to reduce side effects and improve outcomes compared to the current standard of care. Newleos\u2019 clinical-stage, oral small molecules target GABAA<\/sub>-\u03b31, V1a, TAAR1 and GABAA<\/sub>-\u03b15, with first- or best-in-class potential in the treatment of general anxiety, social anxiety, substance use disorders, and cognitive impairment. Newleos launched in 2025 with an oversubscribed $93.5 million Series A financing led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives with participation from Novo Holdings A\/S, Longwood Fund, DCVC Bio, and Arkin Bio Capital.<\/p> \nFor more information visit www.newleos.com<\/a>.<\/p>