Helus Pharma (NASDAQ: HELP) (Cboe CA: HELP), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing novel serotonergic agonists for mental health treatments, announced that co-founders Eric So and Paul Glavine have stepped down from their executive and consulting roles while retaining their positions on the company’s board of directors. So previously served as president and executive chairman, while Glavine served as chief growth officer. The company also appointed Mark Lawson as independent chair of the board, effective immediately, and named So chairman emeritus.
The leadership changes matter because they come at a critical juncture for Helus Pharma, which is focused on advancing its HLP003 and HLP004 clinical programs. The company continues to anticipate reporting topline data from its Phase 3 APPROACH pivotal study of HLP003 for major depressive disorder in the fourth quarter of 2026. With a pivotal readout on the horizon, the board’s decision to install an independent chair and separate executive responsibilities from board oversight is intended to support the company’s next stage of development and strengthen governance as the company approaches potential commercialization.
Lawson, who has served on the board since November 2020, brings more than 20 years of private equity and investment banking experience. His appointment as independent chair follows the recent appointment of Michael Halstead as CEO, completing a leadership transition that positions Helus Pharma with a renewed executive team and an independent board leader. Both co-founders expressed confidence in the current leadership team and will continue supporting Helus Pharma through their board positions.
Helus Pharma, the commercial operating name of Cybin Inc., founded in 2019, 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. 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 full press release is available at https://ibn.fm/ayQkS. The announcement was disseminated on behalf of Helus Pharma through TinyGems, one of more than 75 brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio at IBN, which provides wire solutions via InvestorWire and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets. Readers can review the full terms of use and disclaimers applicable to all content provided by TinyGems at https://www.TinyGems.com/Disclaimer.
