Dr Paulo Fontoura brings 20 years’ experience of working in the pharma industry, with the most recent 16 years focusing on translational medicine and clinical development approaches for one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies
Cambridge, UK, September 4, 2024: Harness Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on protein upregulation to develop disease-modifying therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, today announces the appointment of Dr Paulo Fontoura to its Board as Non-Executive Director (NED). With his deep understanding of neurology and broad experience of clinical development from his time as Global Head of Neuroscience at Roche, Dr Fontoura brings invaluable insight and experience to Harness Therapeutics as it expands its portfolio of first-in-class RNA-based therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.
During his time at Roche, Dr Fontoura was involved in launching several breakthrough medicines for neurological indications including Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) as well as for a number of ophthalmic diseases. In addition, he played an important part in pioneering new approaches to clinical development, such as mobile digital health outcomes using smartphone-based self-monitoring, and validation of the first digital endpoint for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Prior to this, Dr Fontoura pursued a clinical and academic career and held several faculty positions at the New University of Lisbon, from where he obtained his MD and PhD in Neuroimmunology and trained as a clinical neurologist. This was followed by a postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine, focussing on the discovery of new autoantigens and the development of therapeutic DNA vaccines for MS.
In 2022, Dr Fontoura was elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, recognizing special achievement in neurosciences, the clinical practice of neurology, and academic and administrative neurology. He is a visiting professor at the New University of Lisbon, as well as a lecturer at the European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine in Basel.
Jan Thirkettle, CEO of Harness commented, “Paulo’s deep experience of clinical development across neuroscience gives him unique insights into the targets and strategies which could offer real promise to patients, making him an excellent addition to the Harness Therapeutics board. Paulo joins the company at a propitious time as we prepare our lead Huntington’s Disease programme for clinical trials and refine our plans for a number of other promising targets for neurodegenerative disease treatment based on controlled upregulation.”
Dr Paulo Fontoura added, “I am very pleased to join the Harness Therapeutics Board and to play a part in the development of this exciting young company. The aim at Harness is to exploit the mechanisms controlling RNA translation to open up new drug targets upstream of disease pathology. This is a compelling mission, and one which I believe is critical to meeting the needs of patients with neurodegenerative diseases given the limitations of existing approaches and targets. I look forward to working with the team to help advance programmes for Huntington’s and ALS, and to help identify and secure future opportunities for Harness’s platform.”
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About Harness Therapeutics
Harness Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the development of next generation therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, with a lead programme in Huntington’s Disease targeting FAN1 to limit somatic expansion and a second programme with an undisclosed target addressing TDP-43 pathology. Focussing on neurodegeneration targets with strong biology and genetic validation, Harness Therapeutics utilises its deep understanding of RNA biology and post-transcriptional regulation to enable drugging of potentially disease-modifying targets with oligonucleotide-based drugs to achieve controlled increases in protein expression.
Harness Therapeutics has assembled a world-class team focused on the mission of building the most efficient platform for controlled upregulation of CNS targets which underpin neurodegenerative disease. This includes extensive RNA biology and bioinformatics expertise, specialist analytics capabilities and unique neurological cell models. Harness Therapeutics’ unique platform generates multiple orthogonal upregulation strategies which are tested in highly translatable in vitro cell models to identify constructs capable of increasing endogenous protein translation. This specific and controlled approach to increasing target proteins allows drugging targets which would not be addressable using gene therapy or other modalities.
Harness Therapeutics is based in Cambridge, UK, and was originally established by leading life science investors Takeda Ventures and SV Health Investors’ Dementia Discovery Fund in 2020. Harness Therapeutic’s current investor base also includes Epidarex Capital.
For more information, please visit https://www.harnesstx.com/ or LinkedIn.
CONTACTS:
Harness Therapeutics
Dr Jan Thirkettle, CEO
MEDiSTRAVA
Sylvie Berrebi, Frazer Hall