Chronos Therapeutics, a privately owned biotechnology company focused on ageing diseases, brain and central nervous system disorders, has appointed Dr Fraser Murray and Dr Timothy Schulz-Utermoehl as Vice Presidents of Pre-Clinical Development.
Murray and Schulz-Utermoehl join the firm from Polleo Pharma, a UK start-up biotech company which they co-founded.
Both have substantial scientific management expertise acquired in large pharmaceutical companies and previously held senior positions at Shire, AstraZeneca and Merck.
The two men will be responsible for three pre-clinical research programmes recently acquired by Chronos.
These include a dopamine active transporter inhibitor programme in MS fatigue and the company’s orexin 1 antagonist programme in addictive behaviours.
A third, undisclosed programme has potential in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Chronos said there are significant unmet medical needs in these target indications and substantial commercial potential.
Timothy Schulz-Utermoehl
Dr Huw Jones, CEO of Chronos Therapeutics, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Fraser and Timothy to Chronos at a time of significant expansion of our research portfolio.
'They bring substantial pre-clinical development expertise to our organisation. In particular, their experience as co-founders of Polleo will be invaluable as we advance our behavioural brain disease portfolio.'
Dr Murray brings more than 20 years of drug discovery and early development experience across a range of therapeutic areas, including neurodegeneration, psychiatry, inflammation and dermatology.
Prior to co-founding Polleo Pharma and raising investment to fund the portfolio, Dr Murray was Senior Director and Head of Discovery Biology for Shire Speciality Pharmaceuticals, focused on CNS and GI disorders.
Dr Schulz-Utermoehl has more than 17 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, spanning early and late-stage discovery research and preclinical development.
Prior to co-founding Polleo Pharma, Schulz-Utermoehl was a director within the Exploratory Projects Department for Shire Speciality Pharmaceuticals in the UK.
