Industry veteran clinician to lead the clinical development of Inflazome’s pioneering NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors to treat inflammatory diseases
Appointment follows Inflazome’s recent successful €40m Series B financing
The NLRP3 inflammasome is now associated with a broad range of serious medical conditions driven by harmful inflammation; from neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, to cardiovascular, liver, kidney and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Dublin, Ireland and Cambridge, UK : Inflazome (inflazome.com), the pioneering inflammasome company, announces the appointment of Dr Thomas Jung M.D., Ph.D., as its Chief Medical Officer.
Dr Jung joins Inflazome’s senior management team to lead the clinical development of its potent and selective small-molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Dr Jung will oversee the company's global operations related to the development of Inflazome’s lead and next-generation compounds across a range of therapeutic indications; and will work collaboratively with Dr Jeff Thompson, Inflazome’s Head of Clinical Operations and Joanna Tufnell, Head of Regulatory Affairs.
Dr Matt Cooper, Co-Founder and CEO of Inflazome, commented: “Dr Jung has a long and successful track record in guiding pioneering medicines to the market. He brings significant breadth and depth in clinical immunology to the team. We look forward to working together to drive our novel immunotherapies through clinical trials to benefit patients affected by harmful inflammation.”
On his appointment Dr Jung commented: “I am delighted to join the Inflazome team. I see huge potential in Inflazome’s novel small molecules and their ability to transform patients’ lives in a variety of clinical indications. I am looking forward to working with physicians, scientists and patients to develop these new drugs and to deliver on the promise to modify inflammation for patients’ benefit”.
Dr Thomas Jung
Dr Jung is a M.D., Ph.D. physician-scientist with extensive experience in Translational Sciences, Preclinical and Clinical Development of small molecules and biologics.
During a distinguished career at Novartis, Dr Jung was a member of the Novartis Institute of Biomedical Research and Novartis Pharma for 13 years. His primary focus of immunological research was the study of innovative anti-inflammatory principles. He led the Canakinumab (Illaris®) Team in the US and EU, from bench to first approval for CAPS (Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes, a rare monogenetic disease). Dr Jung was also central to its expansion strategy into indications such as systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, gout and other rare fever syndromes. He made a significant contribution to the exploration of Canakinumab in cardiovascular diseases and served as the Development Head for Immunology products and, subsequently, as Head of the Translational Medicine Group for Novartis Europe. Thereafter, Dr Jung served as Chief Development Officer and Chief Medical Officer for two biotechnology companies in Switzerland: Auris Medical and Delenex. Dr Jung is a board-certified Dermatologist and holds an Associate Professor position for Dermatology at the University of Göttingen, Germany.
About Inflazome
Utilizing the scientific expertise of our founders and advisors, Inflazome is leading the way in developing orally available drugs to address clinical unmet needs in inflammatory diseases by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome, which is now understood to drive many chronic and acute inflammatory conditions from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to cardiovascular, liver, kidney and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Inflazome was founded in 2016 by leading academics Prof. Matt Cooper, The University of Queensland (Australia) and Prof. Luke O’Neill Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), following a highly productive joint collaboration.
To advance its programs to clinical development, Inflazome recently closed a Series B financing of €40M / US$46M led by Forbion Capital Partners with Longitude Capital and Series A investors, Fountain Healthcare Partners and Novartis Venture Fund, also participating.
To learn more visit: inflazome.com