Leuven, Belgium, September 03 2024 Augustine Therapeutics, a biotechnology company dedicated to advancing novel small molecule therapeutics for peripheral and neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the appointment of Carl Bjartmar, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr Carl Bjartmar is a skilled and experienced life science executive with a proven record in advancing portfolios of novel therapies across diverse indications in central nervous system (CNS) and rare diseases. He most recently served as CMO of Swedish-based biotech Ascelia Pharma.
“Augustine is advancing rapidly its unique pipeline of HDAC6 inhibitors toward the clinic” said Sylvain Celanire, Chief Executive Officer of Augustine Therapeutics. “Carl brings an exceptional set of skills in the design and running of clinical programs in neurological and rare diseases, and we believe his expertise will be immediately beneficial as we aim to file our first Clinical Trial Application with AGT100216, our lead program targeting Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and other peripheral axonopathies.”
Carl Bjartmar has a long and solid track record in clinical stage orphan drug clinical development at several biotech companies. At Wilson Therapeutics, he successfully led the late-stage development of Decuprate, a first-in-class treatment for Wilson’s rare genetic disease. He was involved in Wilson Therapeutics’ IPO on Nasdaq OMX in 2016, and subsequently in its acquisition by Alexion Pharmaceuticals in 2018. Most recently, Carl Bjartmar also served as the CMO of Ascelia Pharma where he contributed to their IPO on Nasdaq OMX in 2019 and subsequently led their global phase 3 development.
With over 20 years of international experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Carl Bjartmar brings a substantial track-record in early and late-stage clinical drug development, interactions with regulatory authorities, and commercial preparations in rare diseases having served in senior roles in large international pharma companies such as Sanofi, Genzyme and Lundbeck. He is a doctor of medicine (M.D.) and holds a Ph.D. degree in neuroscience from University of Linköping, Sweden.
Carl Bjartmar says: “I am excited to join Augustine Therapeutics, a leading biotech company in the development of novel Best-in-Class small molecule HDAC6 inhibitors with high therapeutic potential in peripheral and CNS diseases. Augustine represents for me a great opportunity to fulfill this mission in advancing a portfolio of products through clinical proof-of-concept trials and beyond.”
About Augustine Therapeutics
Augustine Therapeutics is a Belgian biotech company, founded in 2019 and a spin-off company of VIB-KU Leuven. The company is building a portfolio of best-in-class small molecules HDAC6 inhibitors for the treatment of severe peripheral and CNS diseases. Its scientific foundation originates from the ground-breaking research of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, tackling the underlying mechanism of axonal degeneration of peripheral nerves through selective HDAC6 inhibition. In June 2024, Augustine secure €17M in a Series A1 round, welcoming Asabys Partners, Eli Lilly and Company and the CMT Research Foundation as new invetsors, with the participation of historical investors AdBio partners, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB and the Gemma Frisius Fund.
For more information visit www.augustinetx.com