In a significant leadership transition announced today, Neumora Therapeutics revealed that CEO Henry Gosebruch will step down as part of an executive restructuring. Paul Berns, who currently serves as board chair and co-founded the company, will assume the chief executive role. The brain drug developer also announced several other key changes to its leadership team, with Chief Financial Officer Joshua Pinto being elevated to president and Bill Aurora, the current Chief Strategy Officer, taking on the combined role of chief operating and development officer. Additionally, Michael Milligan will be promoted from his current finance and accounting position to CFO.
The news comes as Neumora anticipates results from three of its clinical programs this year. Meanwhile, Pliant Therapeutics has announced plans to convene a new expert panel to examine data that prompted trial monitors to recommend halting patient dosing in a late-stage study of its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment. The company remains unaware of the specific reasons behind the monitoring board’s decision and intends to maintain the study’s blind status to preserve its integrity. The newly formed panel will work alongside the existing trial monitoring committee to reach a unified recommendation, a process expected to take between two to four weeks.
Biogen disclosed during its fourth quarter earnings report that it is discontinuing development of four central nervous system drug candidates. The discontinued programs include two antisense
oligonucleotides being evaluated for Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy, as well as early-stage treatments targeting
Alzheimer’s disease and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. Among these was BIIB113, which the company had previously highlighted as a promising candidate following its decision to abandon Aduhelm in January 2024. Biogen’s development chief Priya Singhal explained that these cuts reflect a strategic focus on high-conviction clinical programs with potential for regular pivotal trial results and launches.
In other industry developments, AbbVie has entered into a
collaboration with Xilio Therapeutics, providing $52 million upfront to develop T-cell engagers for solid tumor treatment, with additional milestone payments possible. Separately, SpringWorks Therapeutics received FDA approval for Gomekli, a treatment for neurofibromatosis type 1-related nerve tumors in patients aged 2 and older. The approval included a priority review voucher, amid ongoing acquisition discussions between SpringWorks and Merck KGaA.
Voyager Therapeutics announced it would not proceed with seeking regulatory approval to begin human trials of its ALS gene therapy. The decision followed preclinical testing that revealed concerns about the treatment’s therapeutic component, specifically an off-target effect that limited its therapeutic window, according to CEO Al Sandrock. The company plans to search for an alternative payload for ALS treatment while maintaining its timeline for other clinical programs scheduled for this year and next.
These developments reflect ongoing dynamics in the biopharmaceutical industry, where companies regularly adjust their strategic priorities, leadership structures, and development programs in response to clinical results and market opportunities. The various announcements highlight the industry’s continued focus on central nervous system disorders, oncology, and rare diseases, while demonstrating the challenges and opportunities inherent in drug development and commercialization.