ViaNautis Bio appoints Dr Adi Hoess as Chief Executive Officer
October 18 2024 - 7:00AM
ViaNautis Bio appoints Dr Adi Hoess as
Chief Executive Officer
Cambridge UK, 18
October 2024 – ViaNautis Bio (“ViaNautis”
or the “Company”), a groundbreaking nanomedicine company at the
forefront of genetic therapies, today announces the appointment of
Dr Adi Hoess as Chief Executive Officer of ViaNautis. He will
succeed Co-Founder and CEO Dr Francesca Crawford who has been
stepping down from her role.
Dr Adi Hoess brings a wealth of experience to
ViaNautis, having previously served as CEO of Nasdaq-listed German
biotech company Affimed N.V. for the last 13 years. There, he was
pivotal in transitioning the company from an early-stage antibody
engineering firm to a late-stage clinical biotech company driving
multiple IND approvals and entering into large industry
partnerships. His strategic and business acumen and deep
understanding of several disease areas, along with his background
in strategic leadership, company building, preclinical and clinical
development, and commercialisation, position him well to drive
innovation, expand the reach of ViaNautis’ technological
applications and lead the Company through its next stages of
growth. Dr Hoess holds a medical degree from the Technical
University of Munich and completed his PhD at the University of
Munich.
Having co-founded ViaNautis in 2018, Dr Crawford
has decided to leave the Company to build a portfolio of NED
positions. She has been instrumental in shaping ViaNautis since its
inception, leading the Company through significant milestones,
including securing $25 million in Series A funding announced in
November in 2023 for the further development of ViaNautis’
proprietary polyNaut® platform and pipeline of assets. Dr
Crawford’s leadership has propelled ViaNautis to the forefront of
developing advanced genetic nanomedicines to address unmet clinical
needs.
Dr Steven M. Altschuler, Chairman of
ViaNautis, said: “The appointment of Adi comes at a key
point for ViaNautis as we progress our ambitions for the potential
of the polyNaut® platform to create genetic medicines of the
future. His experience and knowledge of successfully leading
companies will be invaluable as we embark on the next steps of
development. On behalf of the Board, we would like to thank Fran
for her hard work and dedication on bringing the Company to where
it stands today.”
Dr Adi Hoess, Chief Executive Officer of
ViaNautis, said: "I am honoured to join ViaNautis and
build on the strong foundation Fran and the team have established.
The potential of the polyNaut® platform is vast and I look forward
to contributing to the next chapter of ViaNautis’ journey. I am
excited to lead this talented team and work together to bring
groundbreaking medicines to patients in need."
Dr Francesca Crawford, Co-Founder of
ViaNautis, commented: "It has been a privilege to lead
ViaNautis from a university spin-off to a leader in nanomedicine
innovation and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved
together. Our polyNaut® platform has the potential to revolutionise
the treatment of genetic diseases. I am confident that the Company
is in excellent hands with Adi at the helm. His track record speaks
volumes, and I believe his vision and expertise will drive
ViaNautis to new heights."
*ENDS*
For further information on the company please visit
www.vianautis.com or contact:
ViaNautis:Dr Adi Hoess, CEO Email:
ahoess@vianautis.com
ICR Consilium:Amber Fennell, Namrata Taak, Kris
LamEmail: vianautis@consilium-comms.comTel: +44 (0)20 3709 5700
About ViaNautisViaNautis, was
founded in 2018 as a spin-off from UCL. The company’s core mission
is to exploit the unique capabilities of the revolutionary
polyNaut® technology.
PolyNaut® is a versatile nano-engineered polymer
technology designed for targeted intracellular delivery. This
innovative technology enables polymer nanoparticles to deliver a
wide range of payloads from small molecules to genetic materials
creating 'a bionic nanoparticle.' The highly adaptable polymer
structure of polyNaut® can be formulated to encapsulate a wide
array of genetic cargoes, with sizes exceeding current standards
for viral and non-viral delivery. Notably, it enables therapeutic
efficacy of encapsulated molecules through direct delivery to the
cell cytoplasm, facilitated by GOTO® technology for intracellular
shuttling.
PolyNaut® is set apart from conventional
non-viral delivery technologies through its remarkable ability to
target specific cells and penetrate biological barriers, including
the challenging blood-brain barrier. PolyNaut® nanoparticles, when
functionalised for CNS delivery through transcytosis, exhibit
exceptional brain uptake.
Deploying its state-of-the-art polyNaut®
platform, ViaNautis is at the forefront of pioneering new therapies
for CNS diseases and cystic fibrosis. The company is actively
building an internal pipeline and collaborating with leading
pharmaceutical and biotech companies to unlock the potential of
promising genetic molecules as well as new therapeutic
platforms.
For more information, connect with us on
https://www.linkedin.com/company/vianautis/ and visit
www.vianautis.com.