Helus Pharma announced the appointment of Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall to its board of directors, where she will also serve as chair of the company's Scientific Advisory Committee, subject to approval by Cboe Canada. Dr. Lewis-Hall brings more than 40 years of experience across clinical care, research, academia and senior biopharmaceutical leadership, including more than a decade on Pfizer's executive leadership team as executive vice president and chief medical officer, as well as leadership roles at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pharmacia Corporation and Eli Lilly and Company.
A Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and former advisor to the National Institute of Mental Health, she will provide scientific, clinical and regulatory governance across Helus' portfolio as the company advances its novel serotonergic agonist programs targeting serious mental health conditions. This appointment signals Helus Pharma's commitment to rigorous scientific oversight as it develops treatments for depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders that affect millions worldwide.
Helus Pharma is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company committed to helping minds heal by developing proprietary NSAs – novel serotonergic agonists: synthetic molecules designed to activate serotonin pathways that are believed to promote neuroplasticity. The company's proprietary NSAs are intended to address the large unmet need for people who suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. With class leading data, Helus Pharma aims to improve the treatment landscape through the introduction of NSAs that aim to provide durable improvements in mental health.
Helus Pharma is currently developing HLP003, a proprietary NSA, in Phase 3 clinical development for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder that has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and HLP004, also a proprietary NSA in Phase 2 for generalized anxiety disorder. Additionally, Helus Pharma has an extensive research portfolio of investigational NSAs. The company operates in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland. For company updates and to learn more about Helus Pharma, visit www.helus.com.
The appointment of Dr. Lewis-Hall represents a significant strengthening of Helus Pharma's scientific leadership at a critical juncture in the company's development. With mental health disorders representing one of the largest global health burdens, and existing treatments often providing inadequate relief or causing significant side effects, the development of novel therapeutic approaches carries substantial importance for patients, healthcare systems, and society at large. Dr. Lewis-Hall's extensive experience in both clinical psychiatry and pharmaceutical development positions her to guide Helus through complex regulatory pathways and ensure that patient safety and scientific rigor remain paramount.
Her background at major pharmaceutical companies provides valuable insight into the commercialization process, which could accelerate the potential delivery of new treatments to market if clinical trials prove successful. The mental health treatment landscape has seen limited innovation in recent decades, making the advancement of Helus Pharma's serotonergic agonist programs particularly noteworthy. The company's focus on neuroplasticity – the brain's ability to reorganize and form new neural connections – represents a potentially transformative approach to treating conditions like depression and anxiety that are often chronic and debilitating.
