FoRx Therapeutics Appoints Chief Medical Officer and Provides an Update on Its Lead Development Candidate

Rhea-AI Summary

FoRx Therapeutics has appointed Dr. Jens Würthner as Chief Medical Officer, bringing over 20 years of clinical development expertise in oncology therapeutics. Dr. Würthner's experience includes successful drug development at companies like Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, and ADC Therapeutics, where he oversaw the development of loncastuximab teserine (Zynlonta).

The company also provided an update on FORX-428, their lead development candidate targeting solid tumors. This PARG (Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase) inhibitor is progressing toward IND submission by mid-2025. Recent developments include:

• Completion of GLP toxicological testing
• Identification of predictive biomarkers for patient selection
• Promising animal studies showing strong anti-tumor efficacy and good tolerability

Positive

• Appointment of experienced CMO with 20+ years in oncology drug development
• Successful completion of GLP toxicological testing for FORX-428
• Promising preclinical results showing strong anti-tumor efficacy
• Development of predictive biomarkers for patient selection

Negative

• IND submission timeline extends to mid-2025, indicating lengthy development process ahead

Industry veteran in clinical development of oncology therapeutics, Dr. Jens Wurthner, PhD, joins as Chief Medical Officer

Lead development candidate, FORX-428, a PARG inhibitor for solid tumors, maintains progress toward IND submission by mid-2025

BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FoRx Therapeutics AG, a Swiss-based company committed to discovering and developing innovative drugs targeting cancer-relevant DDR (DNA Damage Response) pathways, today announced that it has appointed Jens Würthner, MD PhD, as Chief Medical Officer. He is further strengthening FoRx Therapeutics’ existing management team with CEO Tarig Bashir, CSO Frank Zenke, and Head of Chemistry Ulrich Lücking.

Jens Würthner has 20+ years of clinical development expertise and a track record that includes the successful progression of drug candidates from Phase I initiation to market approval. He has led clinical development programs at large pharmaceutical companies, namely Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, as well as at biotech companies, such as ADC Therapeutics. At Swiss-based ADC Therapeutics, Jens oversaw all aspects of clinical development of several successful programs, including loncastuximab teserine (Zynlonta). Before that, he was Lead Clinical Program Leader at Novartis, where he was responsible for progressing small molecule compounds and a monoclonal antibody into the clinic and through multiple clinical trials. Jens joins FoRx Therapeutics from the Dutch company Scenic Biotech, where he has been building the translational and clinical teams for the oncology and rare disease franchise in preparation for first-in-human studies.

Jens Würthner holds an MD and a PhD from the University of Hamburg and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Laboratory of Cell Regulation & Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland (USA).

Tarig Bashir, PhD, CEO of FoRx Therapeutics, commented: “We are very happy that Jens is now part of our team. His long-standing expertise and track record in the clinical development of oncology therapeutics across all development stages is an outstanding asset for building FoRx Therapeutics’ clinical capabilities and will be key to successfully advancing our PARG inhibitor FORX-428 with its best-in-class profile through the clinic. We are excited to have Jens on board to work on our common and ambitious goal to improve patients’ lives and ultimately cure cancer.”

Jens Würthner, MD PhD, CMO added: “I am looking forward to this new challenge at FoRx Therapeutics. Together with the team and all stakeholders, we will advance the Company’s lead development candidate FORX-428 with its convincing best-in-class profile into the clinic and through subsequent clinical studies. We are committed to bringing a novel therapeutic with transformative potential to cancer patients who have limited therapy options and require new targeted treatment approaches.”

Pipeline update

Also today, the Company provided an update on its lead development candidate, FORX-428. The compound is an inhibitor of PARG (Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase) and is being developed for the treatment of solid tumors. FoRx Therapeutics reports significant progress towards IND (Investigational New Drug) submission for FORX-428 and anticipates clearance from the FDA by mid-2025. The Company has successfully finalized toxicological testing conducted according to GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) and also reports the identification and preclinical validation of predictive biomarkers which will be key in selecting patient populations most likely to benefit from treatment with FORX-428. Furthermore, recent data from animal studies with cell line-derived and patient-derived tumor models demonstrate outstanding anti-tumor efficacy and good tolerability, further corroborating the best-in-class proposition for FORX-428.

FoRx Therapeutics holds all development and commercial rights to FORX-428.

About FoRx Therapeutics

FoRx Therapeutics AG is a Swiss-based company committed to discovering and developing innovative drugs targeting cancer-relevant DDR (DNA Damage Response) pathways. The Company focuses on drugging key molecular targets involved in DNA replication stress, as a new approach towards the development of targeted anticancer drugs. Its lead development candidate, FORX-428, is an inhibitor of PARG (Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase) and currently being developed for the treatment of solid tumors. FoRx Therapeutics was co-founded in 2019 with M Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund and Omega Funds, along with Pfizer Ventures, the venture capital arm of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), and Life Science Partners (now EQT Life Sciences). For more information, please visit www.forxtherapeutics.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250226337445/en/

For media and investor inquiries, please contact:

Switzerland/Europe: Valentin Handschin, IRF, handschin@irf-reputation.ch

USA: Paul Sagan, LaVoie Health Science, psagan@lavoiehealthscience.com



For general and all other inquiries, please contact:

Tarig Bashir, CEO FoRx Therapeutics, tarig.bashir@forxtherapeutics.com

Source: FoRx Therapeutics AG

FAQ

When is FoRx Therapeutics expecting FDA clearance for FORX-428?

FoRx Therapeutics anticipates FDA clearance for FORX-428 by mid-2025.

What is FORX-428 being developed to treat?

FORX-428 is a PARG inhibitor being developed for the treatment of solid tumors.

What are the recent preclinical results for FORX-428?

Recent animal studies showed outstanding anti-tumor efficacy and good tolerability in both cell line-derived and patient-derived tumor models.

What is Dr. Jens Würthner's experience in drug development?

Dr. Würthner has 20+ years of clinical development expertise, including roles at Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, and ADC Therapeutics, successfully progressing drugs from Phase I to market approval.