SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Impel NeuroPharma, Inc., a Seattle based biotechnology company, announced the appointment of veteran biotech executive Jon Congleton as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Impel is developing first-in-class intranasal drug treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
“Impel has made impressive, ground-breaking scientific progress with its CNS pipeline and delivery platform,” said H. Stewart Parker, Impel’s Executive Board Chair. “We are confident that Jon Congleton, with his impressive corporate leadership background and CNS product successes will now lead Impel’s transition from the lab to regulatory approval and commercialization of its assets.” Impel raised $36M in a Series C round in December of 2016 to advance its research platform.
Congleton has over 30 years’ experience in biopharmaceutical company leadership including pipeline development, commercial strategy and general management. Most recently he was President and CEO of Nivalis Therapeutics where he successfully executed the company’s IPO and clinical programs.
“Impel’s unique Precision Olfactory Delivery™ or POD™ nasal delivery platform addresses an underutilized route of administration for therapeutics and can represent a significant breakthrough in drug delivery of both small molecules and biologics,” Congleton stated. “I am very excited to join the Impel team to help further develop the value of its deep pipeline to benefit CNS patients who are vastly underserved with current therapies.”
Parker also praised the tenure of interim CEO, John Hoekman, PhD. John Hoekman, a co-founder of Impel, will remain as Impel’s Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. Hoekman will also continue on Impel’s Board of Directors. “Dr. Hoekman has played a key role in developing Impel’s POD™ platform and current pipeline. His nasal delivery expertise, creativity and scientific leadership will be invaluable as we move our company forward,” Parker added.
About POD™ technology
Impel NeuroPharma’s POD™ nasal drug delivery platform is designed to deliver drugs to the upper nasal cavity to achieve superior biodistribution and bioavailability of both small molecules and biologic drugs in patients. By delivering therapeutics to the upper nasal cavity, the POD nasal delivery platform may improve overall bioavailability and has the potential to target the brain via the olfactory and trigeminal nerves.
About Impel NeuroPharma
Impel NeuroPharma, Inc. is a privately held, Seattle-based company devoted to creating life-changing, innovative therapies for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Impel NeuroPharma has multiple therapies in clinical development to treat diseases such as migraine, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Impel’s products are based on a novel nasal drug delivery platform, the POD™ technology, that administers drug to the deep nasal cavity. Impel NeuroPharma’s proprietary POD ™ device technology enables entirely new categories of drugs, including biologics, to be administered using a cost-effective, disposable, non-invasive intranasal drug delivery device. To learn more about Impel NeuroPharma please visit our website: http://impelnp.com/
