WATERTOWN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lyndra Therapeutics, the company making daily pills a thing of the past, today announced the appointment of Dr. Patricia Hurter as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 3. As a seasoned senior executive leader and chemical engineer, Dr. Hurter brings to the company extensive experience in drug discovery and development.

With the addition of Dr. Hurter, Amy Schulman will become Executive Chair of the Board, serving alongside current Board Chair, Catherine B. Reynolds, and other Board members.

“Dr. Hurter is the perfect choice for CEO as Lyndra heads into our next stage as a company,” said Schulman. “The team’s success in moving Lyndra forward from transformative concept to preclinical trials to early drug development will be accelerated by her presence. Dr. Hurter’s experience bringing drugs through the regulatory process is a perfect complement to the leadership team’s strong expertise in clinical research and commercialization.”

Dr. Hurter was formerly Senior Vice President of Pharmaceutical and Preclinical Sciences at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, where she was responsible for CMC and preclinical development for Vertex’s R&D portfolio. She also oversaw Vertex’s internal GMP manufacturing facility and previously served as interim head of global regulatory affairs. In addition, while at Vertex, she and her team conceived and executed the world’s first FDA-approved continuous manufacturing facility.

“I have always been drawn to taking on challenges that I find inspiring and personally meaningful,” said Dr. Hurter. “Lyndra has cracked the code on an ultra-long-acting oral delivery system, pushing the boundaries of science and medicine. But, more than that, Lyndra is doing work that will make a real impact on people’s lives. I am excited to join and lead Lyndra to bring its life-changing therapies to patients who need them.”

Lyndra is currently in early clinical studies for its once-weekly dosage form and moving toward Investigational New Drug (IND) discussions.

About Lyndra Therapeutics’ Platform

Lyndra Therapeutics’ orally administered dosage form is designed to deliver sustained, steady-state release of one or more drugs for up to a week or longer while temporarily residing in the stomach. Taking a single, long-acting pill weekly instead of daily or more often can improve medication adherence and health outcomes while reducing burdens on individuals and their caregivers. Inside a familiar capsule is a star-shaped formulation with active pharmaceutical ingredients that are released consistently over time. The formulation, which is designed to open once inside the stomach, eventually exits safely via the gastrointestinal tract, like undigested food.

About Lyndra Therapeutics

Lyndra Therapeutics aims to improve healthcare outcomes through oral, ultra-long-acting, sustained-release therapies that change how people take medicines. Instead of taking medications daily or more frequently, doses would be administered weekly or monthly, improving medication adherence for better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Delivering controlled amounts of medicine would also reduce side effects and improve drug efficacy. For more information, visit the company’s website www.lyndra.com.