Landos Biopharma Announces Appointment of Fabio Cataldi, MD, as Chief Medical Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Landos Biopharma has appointed Dr. Fabio Cataldi as Chief Medical Officer, effective September 5, 2022. Dr. Cataldi brings over two decades of experience in drug development within gastroenterology and immunology, having held senior positions at notable companies like Arena Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie. His expertise will support Landos in advancing its pipeline, particularly NX-13, which recently showed positive Phase 1b trial results for ulcerative colitis patients. The leadership change is seen as pivotal as the company reviews its clinical development strategy.

Positive

• Dr. Cataldi's extensive experience in drug development is expected to advance Landos' pipeline, especially NX-13.
• His background in gastroenterology and immunology aligns well with Landos' focus on autoimmune diseases.

Negative

• Potential continuity concerns as a new CMO may require time to adapt to Landos' strategies.

Dr. Cataldi Brings Over Two Decades of Clinical Research and Drug Development Experience in Gastroenterology and Immunology

NEW YORK, Sept. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Landos Biopharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: LABP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, oral medicines for patients with autoimmune diseases, today announced the appointment of Fabio Cataldi, MD, as the Company’s Chief Medical Officer, effective September 5, 2022.

“We are thrilled to welcome Fabio to Landos, and look forward to benefitting from his extensive clinical and drug development experience as we finalize our portfolio review and execute a focused plan to pursue what we believe are the Company’s most promising molecules and target indications,” said Greg Oakes, President and Chief Executive Officer of Landos. “Fabio’s clinical and research expertise in gastroenterology and immunology, particularly in ulcerative colitis (UC), will be integral as we look to advance NX-13 following our recent announcement of positive top-line results from our Phase 1b trial in UC patients.”

Dr. Cataldi joins Landos with more than twenty years of successful experience in the development and commercialization of innovative therapies. He brings deep clinical, medical and scientific knowledge and expertise in immunology and gastroenterology, having served in senior research and development roles at Arena Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie, Shire, Pfizer, Biogen and Novartis. Most recently, Dr. Cataldi served as Arena’s Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head Gastroenterology, where he helped lead the development of etrasimod, until its sale to Pfizer for nearly $7 billion.

“Fabio’s appointment as Chief Medical Officer is an important step as we look to continue selectively growing our leadership team with the talent and expertise that we need to successfully advance our pipeline. We are in the final stages of reviewing our clinical development plans, and are planning to provide a comprehensive update later this year,” continued Mr. Oakes.

“I am excited to join Landos at such a pivotal time for the Company,” said Dr. Cataldi. “Having spent the majority of my career focused on immunology and gastroenterology drug development, I am looking forward to leveraging my background and experience as I work with Greg and the leadership team to build on Landos’ strong clinical foundation and deliver on its mission of addressing the therapeutic gap for patients with autoimmune diseases.”

About Fabio Cataldi, MD
Dr. Cataldi has over twenty years of diverse and extensive experience in medicine and drug development in the United States and Italy. He most recently served as Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head of Gastroenterology at Arena Pharmaceuticals, where he led the development of etrasimod in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other gastrointestinal (GI) indications and expanded the immunology portfolio. Prior to joining Arena Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Cataldi served as Team Lead of Gastroenterology and Immunology in Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development at AbbVie. Previously, Dr. Cataldi worked at Shire as Vice President of Clinical Development in Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology, where he led the expansion of the IBD portfolio with the out licensing of the anti-MAdCAM antibody from Pfizer. Before Shire, Dr. Cataldi served as Pfizer’s Senior Director of Gastroenterology Biotherapeutics Clinical Programs in Worldwide R&D, where he led the expansion of the Immunology and GI portfolio with assets targeting multiple diseases beyond IBD, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and dermatology conditions. Earlier in his career, Dr. Cataldi held roles at: Biogen Idec, where he oversaw the approval and launch of Tysabri in Crohn’s Disease; Novartis, where he supported the launch of Zelnorm for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation; Solvay Pharmaceuticals, where he helped with the New Drug Admission process with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Creon; and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA.

Dr. Cataldi holds an MD from the Second University of Naples (SUN) in Medicine and Surgery.

About Landos Biopharma
Landos Biopharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of oral therapeutics for patients with autoimmune diseases. We believe we were the first to identify and target LANCL2, NLRX1 and PLXDC2, which are immunometabolic pathways or targets. We have identified seven novel immunometabolic pathways or targets based on predictions of immunometabolic function using a proprietary advanced artificial intelligence-based integrated computational and experimental precision medicine platform. Our near-term focus is on our clinical-stage programs including omilancor for the treatment of UC, NX-13 for the treatment of UC, and LABP-104 for the potential treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

For more information, please visit www.landosbiopharma.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Landos Biopharma, Inc. (the “Company”), including statements about the Company’s strategy, clinical development and regulatory plans for its product candidates, including NX-13, and other statements containing the words “anticipate”, “plan”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “believe”, “look forward”, “potential”, the negatives thereof, variations thereon and similar expressions, or any discussions of strategy constitute forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties inherent in the initiation and enrollment of future clinical trials, expectations of expanding ongoing clinical trials, availability and timing of data from ongoing clinical trials, expectations for regulatory approvals, other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of the Company’s product candidates and other similar risks. Risks regarding the Company’s business are described in detail in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will be made available in other filings that the Company makes from time to time with the SEC. Such risks may be amplified by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views only as of the date hereof. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as may be required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.

Contacts

Tanner Kaufman / Kara Sperry
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449

FAQ

Who is the new Chief Medical Officer of Landos Biopharma?

Dr. Fabio Cataldi has been appointed as the Chief Medical Officer of Landos Biopharma.

What experience does Dr. Fabio Cataldi bring to Landos Biopharma?

Dr. Cataldi has over twenty years of experience in drug development, particularly in gastroenterology and immunology.

What are the implications of Dr. Cataldi's appointment for Landos Biopharma?

His appointment is expected to enhance the company's drug development efforts, particularly for NX-13.

When did Dr. Cataldi start his role at Landos Biopharma?

Dr. Cataldi officially began his role as Chief Medical Officer on September 5, 2022.