Neuvasq Biotechnologie is pleased to announce the appointment of Ralph Laufer, Ph.D., as its Chief Scientific Officer and member of the Executive Committee.
Ralph Laufer, a seasoned R&D leader, will oversee the discovery and development of Neuvasq’s novel Wnt pathway activators. Emmanuel Lacroix, CEO, says: “I am delighted to welcome Ralph as a key member of Neuvasq’s leadership team. Ralph brings broad and successful CNS drug development experience. He will be instrumental in translating our scientific achievements into effective therapies and solutions for patients with neurovascular impairment associated with BBB or BRB breakdown”.
Before joining Neuvasq, Ralph contributed to the discovery and development of numerous clinical candidates, including several FDA/EMA-approved drugs, in the therapeutic areas of antivirals, oncology and neurology at Merck, Teva and Lysogene. His achievements also include the discovery of the tachykinin NK-3 receptor and the anti-obesity activity of ciliary neurotrophic factor. For his role in the discovery of Isentress™ (raltegravir), the first integrase inhibitor approved for use in HIV infected patients, Ralph received the American Chemical Society 2013 Heroes of Chemistry Award.
Ralph was previously CSO of Lysogene, a French biotech specialized in gene therapy targeting the central nervous system (CNS). Prior to this, he was Senior Vice President and Head of Discovery and Product Development at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in Israel. Prior to Teva, he was the Scientific Director of IRBM, an Italian drug discovery CRO. Previously, Ralph was Head of Pharmacology at Merck Research Laboratories Rome.
Ralph obtained his PhD in Biochemistry (summa cum laude) and M.Sc. in Chemistry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He conducted postdoctoral training at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, and is the author of close to 100 scientific articles and an inventor on about 30 patents.
About Neuvasq Biotechnologies
Neuvasq Biotechnologies, a privately held biotech company, is dedicated to advancing pioneering therapies to restore CNS barriers and improve neurovascular function for patients with severe conditions. Neuvasq’s most advanced programs aim to address the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) and improve vision in patients with vascular retinopathy conditions such as diabetic macular edema (DME) and wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD). In addition, Neuvasq is exploring novel solutions to address blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and neurovascular impairment in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and/or epilepsy. The company is headquartered in Gosselies, Belgium. For more information, please visit www.neuvasq.com.
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