Scenic Biotech, a pioneer in modifier therapies for severe diseases, announced the appointment of Roland W. Bürli, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), effective September 1, 2025. Dr. Bürli will oversee the company's scientific strategy and guide the advancement of its pipeline of first-in-class modifier therapies addressing neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases.
Extensive Leadership Experience in Drug Development
Dr. Bürli brings more than 25 years of experience in drug development, with senior leadership roles across pharmaceutical and biotech companies. His track record includes advancing preclinical programs from early discovery stages through preclinical development into clinical evaluation, with expertise spanning multiple therapeutic areas, including neurodegenerative diseases.
"Roland has amassed a wealth of leadership experience in drug discovery, spanning various biotech environments, with deep expertise in developing small-molecule therapeutics that address a range of therapeutic areas," said Oscar Izeboud, CEO of Scenic Biotech. "His appointment further strengthens our ability to accelerate the expansion and maturation of our pipeline and drive our lead program toward clinical evaluation."
Career Highlights and Scientific Achievements
Dr. Bürli joins Scenic Biotech after establishing the discovery platform at Codify Therapeutics following its inception in 2022. Prior to Codify, he served as VP of Drug Discovery at Cerevance, where he built and led a multidisciplinary team, helped secure Series B financing, and advanced multiple small-molecule programs, including CVN293, which completed Phase 1 clinical trials.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Bürli held senior scientific roles at AstraZeneca, BioFocus, Amgen, and GeneSoft, contributing to the discovery and development of candidates in CNS, inflammation, hematology, and anti-infectives. He is a co-author/co-inventor of more than 135 peer-reviewed publications and patents/patent applications. Dr. Bürli holds a doctorate in Organic Chemistry from ETH Zürich and completed postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology.
Innovative Modifier Therapy Approach
Scenic Biotech is advancing modifier therapy, a novel approach to treating genetic disorders that differs from traditional therapeutic strategies. Instead of targeting the primary disease-causing mutation, modifier therapy seeks to rebalance health by acting on another gene that can improve or, in some cases, even bypass the disease impact, leading to a therapeutic effect.
"I'm truly excited to join Scenic Biotech at this exciting growth phase. The company's pioneering work in uncovering modifier genes and translating these insights into novel therapeutics represents a bold and innovative approach, which has recently achieved broad scientific validation by two high-impact publications in Nature," commented Dr. Bürli.
Cell-Seq Platform and Pipeline Development
The company's robust pipeline is derived from its proprietary Cell-Seq platform and includes small-molecule programs that are wholly owned. The platform is also leveraged through strategic collaborations with multinational pharmaceutical leaders. By unlocking new pathways in the genome, Scenic Biotech is developing a range of modifier therapies designed to help patients with severe disorders.
Dr. Bürli expressed his commitment to the company's mission, stating, "I'm very impressed by Scenic's scientific rigor and its commitment to transforming patients' lives, and I look forward to working with the talented team to advance its pipeline and fully realize the potential of the Cell-Seq platform."
The appointment comes as Scenic Biotech continues to advance its innovative therapeutic approach, with CEO Izeboud noting that "Roland's contributions will play a pivotal role in maximizing the potential of our modifier therapies to make a meaningful impact in how we treat severe disorders."
