BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regenacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that is regenerating biological function by selective protein acetylation, announced today the appointment of Simon S. Jones, Ph.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer to succeed Walter Ogier, who will remain actively engaged with Regenacy as a member of the company’s Board. Simon has been a member of the Regenacy management team, serving as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President Preclinical Development, from the time the company was spun out from Acetylon Pharmaceuticals in December 2016. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President of Biology and Preclinical Development at Acetylon.
Since joining Acetylon in September 2009, and then at Regenacy, Simon has been leading the research and development programs to expand the clinical potential of the company’s selective HDAC inhibitors. These include programs in multiple indications for the orally bioavailable, HDAC6 selective inhibitor, ricolinostat (ACY-1215) and the company’s HDAC1,2 inhibitor program in orphan blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia.
“Simon’s extensive research and drug development experience will continue to drive our ongoing efforts to develop selective HDAC inhibitors for the treatment of peripheral neuropathies, ciliopathic/polycystic diseases, hemoglobinopathies, cognitive disorders and oncology indications,” said Marc Cohen, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Regenacy. “We are very pleased to welcome Simon into his new role as President and Chief Executive Officer at Regenacy. We would also like to extend a sincere thank you to Walter for his leadership and significant contributions in building Acetylon, orchestrating Acetylon’s acquisition by Celgene, and launching Regenacy. We look forward to Walter’s continued involvement with Regenacy as he transitions to an advisory phase of his career.”
“Simon’s vision and dedication in building out the broad clinical potential for selective HDAC inhibition, and his creation and leadership of a uniquely open innovation research model, created the value of the pipeline that is now being developed at Regenacy. There is no better person to lead Regenacy as the company works to bring this next wave of therapeutic opportunities forward into the clinic,” said Walter Ogier.
Simon Jones joined Acetylon from EPIX Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he was Vice President of Biology and ADMET. Prior to EPIX, Dr. Jones held senior level positions in drug discovery and preclinical development for leading biotechnology companies including ArQule Inc., Curis Inc., Creative BioMolecules Inc. and earlier in his career, at Genetics Institute/Wyeth, now part of Pfizer. He is an author of many peer-reviewed publications and multiple US patents over the span of his career. Dr. Jones received his B.Sc. Honors Degree and Ph.D. in chemistry from Kings College, University of London, U.K., where he also engaged in post-doctoral research, and subsequently in the Department Biology and Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA under the Nobel Laureate Prof. H.G. Khorana.
“Regenacy has a tremendous opportunity to further the development of ricolinostat into Phase 2 clinical trials in peripheral neuropathy and ciliopathic diseases and development of HDAC1,2 inhibitors to treat blood and other disorders,” said Simon Jones. “It is an honor to assume the role as President and Chief Executive Officer and to have the opportunity to continue working with the incredible team at Regenacy.”
About Regenacy
Regenacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company regenerating biological function by protein acetylation for the treatment of peripheral neuropathies, ciliopathic/polycystic diseases, hemoglobinopathies, cognitive disorders and oncology indications. The company’s selective inhibition technology provides superior safety profiles and potential enhanced efficacy compared to non-selective HDAC inhibitors. Regenacy’s programs selectively inhibit histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) to restore normal intracellular protein and organelle transport in diabetic and other peripheral neuropathies and in ciliopathic/polycystic diseases, and selectively inhibit HDACs 1 and 2 to restore oxygen transport in orphan blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, regenerate normal cognitive function in patients with psychiatric disorders, and restore normal bone marrow function through differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. www.regenacy.com
