Joins Actimed following highly successful 20-year career at Bayer

London, UK – 2nd February 2021. Actimed Therapeutics, the clinical stage company focused on bringing innovation to the treatment of muscle wasting disorders, with a focus on cachexia, today announces the appointment of Frank Misselwitz MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Officer.

Dr Misselwitz joins the Company in his new role from Bayer AG where until recently he was Corporate Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head in clinical development. With a background in academia and industry, he has over 30 years of extensive pharmaceutical industry experience. Dr Misselwitz is currently a non-executive director and member of the Board of Actimed.

Dr Misselwitz was a member of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research for 8 years and is currently a member of the SAB for the Centre for Thrombosis and Haemostasis University of Mainz, Germany.

Robin Bhattacherjee, Actimed CEO, commented: “We are tremendously excited to appoint Frank as our Chief Medical Officer as we seek to further advance the development of our lead candidate ACM-001 (S-pindolol) for cancer cachexia. Frank brings a wealth of international expertise in clinical development and an outstanding track record for delivering successful large-scale clinical trials on time. He is a highly respected and influential leader who shares our motivation to bring new medicines to the many patients suffering from cachexia.”

During his career, Frank supported the development of Humira at Knoll AG and Abbott. While at Bayer, he led the successful development of multiple cardiovascular drugs including rivaroxaban, the leading oral direct FXa inhibitor. The rivaroxaban development programme included the landmark COMPASS trial, one of the largest and most complex development programs conducted, encompassing more than 275,000 patients. Rivaroxaban was developed in its first indication in just 78 months. Frank was also responsible for the successful development of Riociguat, a stimulator of soluble guanylate cyclase, approved to treat two forms of Pulmonary Hypertension.

Frank led the Therapeutic Area engaged in developing replacement therapies in hemophilia A including Damoctocog alfa pegol which was approved by EMA and FDA in 2018.

Frank’s previous academic research experience was gained in UK, USA, Germany and Russia and he is the author of over 250 publications.

Dr Misselwitz commented: “I am excited to have the opportunity to be joining Actimed to help bring ACM-001 to the many patients for whom cancer related cachexia remains a significant unmet need, as well as developing Actimed’s broader pipeline for muscle wasting disorders. As a Board member at Actimed, I am already very familiar with the Company and the impressive data amassed to date on ACM-001. I look forward to working with Actimed’s outstanding team to bring this and other innovative new products to this vulnerable and under-served patient population.”