APIE Therapeutics Appoints Ashwin Datt Chief Executive Officer

Former CEO and Founder, Esther Alegria Remains on Executive Team Focused on Driving Research & Development Through External Collaborations

Research Triangle Park, NC, July 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — APIE Therapeutics (APIE Tx), a preclinical regenerative medicines company, today announced the appointment of industry veteran, Ashwin Datt as CEO and a member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Datt is an accomplished leader with a track record of building innovative biotech companies and empowering teams to develop transformative medicines. Mr. Datt succeeds Esther Alegria, Ph.D., who co-founded the company and served as CEO from 2020 through present.

“Under Esther’s leadership, APIE Therapeutics in-licensed its first pipeline compounds. Esther built and leveraged a network of expert research collaborators with whom she worked to advance the science. Through this creative, resource-sparing strategy, APIE selected and optimized a lead candidate that is now approaching first-in-human clinical trials,” said Maureen O’Connor, chair of the Board of Directors. “My colleagues and I are confident that Ashwin’s unique leadership skills combined with Esther’s scientific expertise put APIE on solid footing as we move into this next exciting chapter.”

Ashwin Datt was previously CEO of Carousel Therapeutics, a start-up developing engineered T-cells for oncology applications. Earlier, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Gyroscope Therapeutics, including chief people officer, EVP of corporate development and advisor to the CEO. Earlier in his career, Mr. Datt held leadership positions at Sana Biotechnology, Juno Therapeutics, Vitrisia Therapeutics, and GRAIL, Inc. For more than a decade prior, Mr. Datt worked at Genentech, where he was involved in pipeline and brand management, business operations, and organizational development. Mr. Datt earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of California in Los Angeles.

“I have had the privilege to learn from some of the best leaders and companies on discovering and developing medicines to benefit patients while also focusing on the strategic and operational aspects of a successful biotechnology company,” added Mr. Datt. “APIE has compelling science and a pipeline that holds enormous potential for treating patients living with grievous illness triggered by the impairment of the vascular endothelium.  With three programs moving towards IND and the lead in systemic sclerosis-associated lung disease (SSc-ILD), this is an exciting time to drive the next stage of growth at APIE. I look forward to working with Esther and the APIE team as we advance our lead candidate into clinical trials.”

“Founding and leading APIE for the past three years has been an enormously rewarding experience,” said Dr. Alegria “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with our talented team and supportive investors to build a strong foundation for the company. I look forward to working with Ashwin as he builds the infrastructure APIE will need to evolve into a successful clinical-stage company.”

About APIE Therapeutics

APIE Therapeutics is a preclinical regenerative medicines company pioneering the development of proprietary small-molecule drugs that trigger the repair and regeneration of impaired vascular endothelium by mobilizing and differentiating resident stem cells. The company’s initial focus will be on rare disease indications, such as systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD), as well as nephropathies and metabolic syndrome, which are driven by a cascade of chronic inflammation and fibrosis. APIE’s proprietary pipeline candidates are orally active molecules designed to promote microvascular repair and restore tissue homeostasis in a variety of acute and chronic disorders.

The company’s lead clinical candidate, APT101, is an optimized compound from a large and highly characterized chemical library licensed from RTI International, a nonprofit research institute. The company is on track to file an investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. FDA to commence a clinical program with APT101 for the treatment of patients with SSc-ILD.  More information may be found on the company’s website: https://apie-therapeutics.com. 

CONTACT: APIE Therapeutics
Ashwin Datt
adatt@apie-therapeutics.com