Immutrin Appoints Cardiovascular Expert Dr. Robert Blaustein as CMO to Advance Amyloidosis Therapy
Key Insights
Immutrin (search) has appointed Dr. Robert Blaustein, former Edgewise and Merck (search) executive, as Chief Medical Officer to guide clinical strategy for its novel amyloidosis (search) therapy.
Dr. Blaustein brings over 15 years of cardiovascular drug development experience, including leading the successful Phase 3 VICTORIA heart failure (search) trial for vericiguat.
The company is preparing to advance its lead antibody therapy toward first-in-human studies for ATTR cardiomyopathy (search) treatment.
Immutrin (search) Ltd, a biotechnology company developing next-generation antibody therapy to reverse amyloidosis (search), has appointed Dr. Robert Blaustein, MD, PhD as Chief Medical Officer and established a US subsidiary to support its clinical development program. The appointment marks a pivotal milestone as the company prepares to advance its lead asset toward first-in-human studies for ATTR cardiomyopathy (search).
Leadership Appointment Strengthens Clinical Strategy
Dr. Blaustein brings extensive experience in cardiovascular clinical research and drug development, with a proven track record of advancing innovative therapeutics from early development through regulatory filing and approval. He will build out Immutrin (search)'s clinical team and lead the company's clinical development and regulatory strategy.
"Appointing our Chief Medical Officer marks a pivotal milestone for Immutrin (search) as we evolve into a clinical-stage organization," said Mihriban Tuna, Chief Executive Officer at Immutrin. "Robert's deep expertise in cardiovascular medicine and proven leadership in clinical development will be instrumental as we advance our lead asset towards first-in-human studies."
Proven Track Record in Cardiovascular Development
Prior to joining Immutrin (search), Dr. Blaustein served as Chief Development Officer at Edgewise Therapeutics, where he led development of the novel cardiac sarcomere (search) modulator EDG-7500 and oversaw the company's broader cardiovascular clinical stage pipeline. His earlier career included more than 15 years at Merck (search), where he led late-stage development programs in atherosclerosis (search) and heart failure (search).
Notably, Dr. Blaustein led the vericiguat development team through the successful completion of the Phase 3 VICTORIA heart failure (search) trial, as well as the subsequent regulatory filing and global approval of vericiguat for patients with worsening heart failure, in collaboration with Bayer (search).
Academic and Clinical Background
Dr. Blaustein earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Wesleyan University and completed his MD/PhD training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his medical residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital and cardiology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. Following an HHMI postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biochemistry at Brandeis University, he served on the faculty at Tufts Medical Center before transitioning to industry with Merck (search).
Novel Approach to Amyloidosis Treatment
"I am excited to join Immutrin (search) at such an important stage of its journey," said Dr. Blaustein. "While current therapies for amyloidosis (search) can slow disease progression, they do not remove existing amyloid deposits. The Company's novel antibody approach, designed to selectively target and clear deposited amyloid, offers a promising strategy to address the underlying pathology. I look forward to advancing this innovative therapy into clinical development."
Immutrin (search)'s lead asset is being developed for the treatment of ATTR cardiomyopathy (search), a serious and progressive form of amyloidosis (search). The company's antibody is positioned as a potential best-in-class therapy, with a unique mechanism of action designed to selectively and exclusively remove established amyloid fibrils (search).
US Expansion and Clinical Preparation
In parallel with the leadership appointment, Immutrin (search) has established a US subsidiary, Immutrin US Inc., to support planned clinical activities in North America. The company was co-founded by Cambridge Innovation Capital, academic founders Professor Sir Mark Pepys, FRS; Nobel Laureate Sir Gregory Winter, FRS; and Professor Daniel Christ. Immutrin is supported by leading global investors including Frazier Life Sciences, F-Prime, Qiming Venture Partners and SR One.