- Dr Mozayeni brings deep experience in biotech corporate strategy and business development
- Appointment follows successful £35 million Series A fundraise at the end of 2024 to take its MSH3 inhibitors to treat Huntington’s disease into the clinic
CAMBRIDGE, England, Feb. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — LoQus23 Therapeutics Ltd (“LoQus23”), a private biotechnology company investigating small molecule drugs that could stop the pathogenic triplet expansion that is the cause and driver of Huntington’s Disease, myotonic dystrophy type 1, and other triplet repeat expansion diseases, today announces the appointment of Dr Cyrus Mozayeni as its Chair of the Board of Directors.
Dr Mozayeni is a highly experienced biotech entrepreneur with a track record of more than 20-years spearheading growth and strategic business development for life sciences companies. Dr Mozayeni is currently CEO of Pheon Therapeutics (Pheon), a leading antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) company developing next generation ADCs for a wide range of hard-to-treat cancers. He recently led Pheon through a successful $120 million Series B financing round in May 2024.
Dr David Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer of LoQus23 Therapeutics, commented: “Following our successful fundraise late last year, the Company is at a pivotal moment as we progress towards IND-enabling studies of our potent allosteric small molecule MSH3 inhibitor, part of the MutSβ complex. Cyrus brings a wealth of world class biotech expertise to guide us at this critical time and will help us to deliver treatments for patients with Huntington’s and similar triplet repeat expansion diseases.”
Dr Cyrus Mozayeni, newly appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of LoQus23, added: “The science behind LoQus23’s unique approach is hugely promising. Several recent high-profile papers provide unequivocal support for the development of treatments targeting somatic CAG repeat expansion – the foundation of our approach. I look forward to working with the Board and the Leadership Team to help deliver the lead asset into the clinic and beyond.”
As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Atlas Venture, Dr Mozayeni launched Vedere Bio and served as President & CEO from inception through to its sale to Novartis. Before joining Atlas Venture, Dr Mozayeni was co-founder of CODA Biotherapeutics, and Oncorus, where he served as President and CBO. He also served as VP and Global Head of Business Development and Alliance Management at Nasdaq listed Bluebird Bio, where his efforts led to a clinical-stage CAR T-cell program (ABECMA®, idecabtagene vicleucel) in collaboration with Celgene, and a successful IPO. A qualified Doctor of Medicine, Dr Mozayeni is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine and holds both an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University and an Sc.B. in Neuroscience from Brown University.
In October 2024, LoQus23 announced the successful close of its £35 million Series A financing round led by Forbion, alongside existing investors SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund and Novartis Venture Fund. The Company has since established a platform of assays and small molecule series of MutSα and MutSβ inhibitors which are therapeutically relevant in numerous triplet repeat diseases, including Huntington’s Disease.
Notes to Editors
About LoQus23 Therapeutics Ltd
LoQus23 is a biotech company based in Cambridge, UK, developing small molecule somatic expansion inhibitors for the treatment of Huntington’s Disease and other triplet repeat expansion diseases. Huntington’s disease is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no disease modifying treatment available and which currently has 30,000 patients in the US alone.
LoQus23’s approach has the potential to stop DNA instability and therefore slow neurodegeneration in these diseases. LoQus23 is focused on using a structure-based approach to design small molecule drugs, which can offer more convenient administration than other approaches. Oral small molecule drugs have a strong track record in treating complex brain diseases and provide greater convenience for patients compared with other advanced treatment modalities. LoQus23’s lead programme, a potent allosteric small molecule MSH3 inhibitor, part of the MutSβ complex, will enter the clinic in 2026.
LoQus23 has a highly experienced leadership team, built on world-class science. It was originally established in 2019 by Dr David Reynolds, Dr Caroline Benn, and Dr Ruth McKernan CBE, FMedSci, Entrepreneurs in Residence at SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund, which also acted as the initial seed investor. In October 2024, the Company closed a successful £35 million Series A financing round led by Forbion, alongside existing investors SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund and Novartis Venture Fund.
For more information, please visit: www.loqus23.com
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