Leiden, The Netherlands - October 9, 2024 – Anavo Therapeutics, a global leader in unlocking the full therapeutic potential of phosphatase biology, today announced the appointment of Edward Holson, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). Based in Boston, he will also serve as President of Anavo US, overseeing R&D operations both in the US and Europe. The dual presence will enable Anavo to leverage both research team’s complementary scientific strengths across leading biotechnology regions. Dr. Holson brings over 25 years of expertise in medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, and novel therapeutic development. As an accomplished scientific leader, Dr. Holson has co-founded and led several biotech ventures, directing drug discovery efforts and developing small-molecule therapies across various indications, biological targets and technologies. In his role, he will drive Anavo’s scientific strategy, focusing on advancing the company’s proprietary IGNITE platform and the development of first-in-class phosphatase modulators.

"Anavo Therapeutics is advancing a critical area of drug discovery by targeting phosphatases with strategies that unlock the specific regulation of this important enzyme class. The team has built a strong foundation using the proprietary IGNITE platform, designed to modulate phosphatase signaling pathways and develop therapies that address complex diseases. My focus will be on working with the entire Anavo team to drive the development of novel therapies that target previously undruggable phosphatase signaling pathways, addressing critical needs in immunology, metabolism, oncology and other complex diseases," stated Dr. Edward Holson, Chief Scientific Officer, President US of Anavo Therapeutics.

"As we continue to generate key data demonstrating the potential of our IGNITE platform, Ed’s expertise in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery is a timely addition. His extensive background in leading small-molecule programs will be instrumental in advancing our pipeline of phosphatase modulators. We look forward to leveraging his network in the U.S. to expand our global reach and accelerate our proprietary programs targeting disease-relevant phosphatases toward clinical development. We also extend our gratitude to Shaun McNulty for his contributions to Anavo and wish him the best in his future endeavors," said Dr. Birgit Zech, Chief Executive Officer of Anavo Therapeutics.

Dr. Edward Holson is a distinguished scientist and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, and therapeutic development. Before joining Anavo, he co-founded Photys Therapeutics, serving as Chief Scientific Officer and Strategic Advisor. He previously held the roles of President and Chief Scientific Officer as a co-founder at Amathus Therapeutics. He was also the founder of KDAc Therapeutics, where he served as Director, President, and Chief Scientific Officer, and continues to serve on its Board of Directors. He was a founding member of the Scientific Advisory Board at Rodin Therapeutics and served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Atlas Venture. His academic tenure includes serving as Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research and Director of the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Platform at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Earlier in his career, Dr Holson worked at Infinity Pharmaceuticals and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA in various roles in medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical development.

About Anavo Therapeutics:
Anavo Therapeutics is at the forefront of phosphatase-based drug discovery with its IGNITE platform, a unique approach for accessing a space previously considered undruggable. Based on our world-leading expertise in phosphatase-driven disease biology and drug discovery, we will unlock the full therapeutic potential of phosphatase-targeted modulators for our first-in-class proprietary pipeline and through partnerships. Anavo is backed by blue-chip investors M Ventures, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, INKEF Capital, Taiho Ventures, MRL Ventures Fund, and Bioqube Ventures. For more information, please visit: www.anavotx.com.

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