ViaNautis Bio appoints Dr Adi Hoess as Chief Executive Officer

ViaNautis Bio appoints Dr Adi Hoess as Chief Executive Officer

Cambridge UK, 18 October 2024 – ViaNautis Bio (“ViaNautis” or the “Company”), a groundbreaking nanomedicine company at the forefront of genetic therapies, today announces the appointment of Dr Adi Hoess as Chief Executive Officer of ViaNautis. He will succeed Co-Founder and CEO Dr Francesca Crawford who has been stepping down from her role.

Dr Adi Hoess brings a wealth of experience to ViaNautis, having previously served as CEO of Nasdaq-listed German biotech company Affimed N.V. for the last 13 years. There, he was pivotal in transitioning the company from an early-stage antibody engineering firm to a late-stage clinical biotech company driving multiple IND approvals and entering into large industry partnerships. His strategic and business acumen and deep understanding of several disease areas, along with his background in strategic leadership, company building, preclinical and clinical development, and commercialisation, position him well to drive innovation, expand the reach of ViaNautis’ technological applications and lead the Company through its next stages of growth. Dr Hoess holds a medical degree from the Technical University of Munich and completed his PhD at the University of Munich.

Having co-founded ViaNautis in 2018, Dr Crawford has decided to leave the Company to build a portfolio of NED positions. She has been instrumental in shaping ViaNautis since its inception, leading the Company through significant milestones, including securing $25 million in Series A funding announced in November in 2023 for the further development of ViaNautis’ proprietary polyNaut® platform and pipeline of assets. Dr Crawford’s leadership has propelled ViaNautis to the forefront of developing advanced genetic nanomedicines to address unmet clinical needs.

Dr Steven M. Altschuler, Chairman of ViaNautis, said: “The appointment of Adi comes at a key point for ViaNautis as we progress our ambitions for the potential of the polyNaut® platform to create genetic medicines of the future. His experience and knowledge of successfully leading companies will be invaluable as we embark on the next steps of development. On behalf of the Board, we would like to thank Fran for her hard work and dedication on bringing the Company to where it stands today.”

Dr Adi Hoess, Chief Executive Officer of ViaNautis, said: “I am honoured to join ViaNautis and build on the strong foundation Fran and the team have established. The potential of the polyNaut® platform is vast and I look forward to contributing to the next chapter of ViaNautis’ journey. I am excited to lead this talented team and work together to bring groundbreaking medicines to patients in need.”

Dr Francesca Crawford, Co-Founder of ViaNautis, commented: “It has been a privilege to lead ViaNautis from a university spin-off to a leader in nanomedicine innovation and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together. Our polyNaut® platform has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of genetic diseases. I am confident that the Company is in excellent hands with Adi at the helm. His track record speaks volumes, and I believe his vision and expertise will drive ViaNautis to new heights.”

*ENDS*

For further information on the company please visit www.vianautis.com or contact:

ViaNautis:
Dr Adi Hoess, CEO
Email: ahoess@vianautis.com

ICR Consilium:
Amber Fennell, Namrata Taak, Kris Lam
Email: vianautis@consilium-comms.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 3709 5700

About ViaNautis
ViaNautis, was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from UCL. The company’s core mission is to exploit the unique capabilities of the revolutionary polyNaut® technology.

PolyNaut® is a versatile nano-engineered polymer technology designed for targeted intracellular delivery. This innovative technology enables polymer nanoparticles to deliver a wide range of payloads from small molecules to genetic materials creating ‘a bionic nanoparticle.’ The highly adaptable polymer structure of polyNaut® can be formulated to encapsulate a wide array of genetic cargoes, with sizes exceeding current standards for viral and non-viral delivery. Notably, it enables therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated molecules through direct delivery to the cell cytoplasm, facilitated by GOTO® technology for intracellular shuttling.

PolyNaut® is set apart from conventional non-viral delivery technologies through its remarkable ability to target specific cells and penetrate biological barriers, including the challenging blood-brain barrier. PolyNaut® nanoparticles, when functionalised for CNS delivery through transcytosis, exhibit exceptional brain uptake.

Deploying its state-of-the-art polyNaut® platform, ViaNautis is at the forefront of pioneering new therapies for CNS diseases and cystic fibrosis. The company is actively building an internal pipeline and collaborating with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies to unlock the potential of promising genetic molecules as well as new therapeutic platforms.

For more information, connect with us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/vianautis/ and visit www.vianautis.com.