Spinogenix Appoints Harvard Neuroscience Leaders to Scientific Advisory Board as Synaptic Regenerative Therapy Advances
Key Insights
Spinogenix (search) appointed Prof. Steven E. Arnold, MD, a leading Alzheimer's expert from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, to its Scientific Advisory Board to guide registration-directed studies for tazbentetol (search).
Prof. Joseph T. Coyle, MD, chair of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, also joined the SAB to provide strategic guidance on the schizophrenia (search) program and EEG biomarker integration.
Tazbentetol (search) (SPG302) is a first-in-class synaptic regenerative therapy designed to restore glutamatergic synapses (search) in ALS, Alzheimer's disease (search), and schizophrenia (search), with Orphan Drug designations from both FDA and EMA for ALS.
Spinogenix (search), Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering synaptic regenerative therapeutics, has strengthened its scientific leadership with the appointments of two distinguished Harvard Medical School neuroscience experts to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Prof. Steven E. Arnold, MD, and Prof. Joseph T. Coyle, MD, bring decades of expertise in Alzheimer's disease (search) and neuropsychiatric disorders, respectively, as the company advances its lead candidate tazbentetol (search) toward registration-directed clinical studies.
Prof. Steven E. Arnold Brings Alzheimer's and Biomarker Expertise
Prof. Arnold serves as the E. Gerald Corrigan PhD Endowed Chair in Alzheimer Therapeutics at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research focuses on the biological mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disease, including molecular biomarkers, immune and metabolic contributors to cognitive decline, and precision approaches to clinical trial design. He has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.
Previously, Prof. Arnold held faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania in Psychiatry and Neurology, where he directed the Penn Memory Center and served in leadership roles across multiple Alzheimer's research initiatives, including the Alzheimer's Disease (search) Core Center and the Institute on Aging. Since joining Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, he has led a broad program for early-stage clinical trials and biomarker-focused studies in neurodegenerative disease. He also serves as Managing Director of the IBC/i3 Clinical & Translational Research Unit, a research core facility of Mass General Brigham.
"Prof. Arnold's work has helped redefine how Alzheimer's disease (search) is studied, particularly through the integration of biomarkers and translational approaches into clinical development," said Dr. Stella Sarraf, CEO and Founder of Spinogenix (search). "We are delighted to welcome Prof. Arnold to Spinogenix's Scientific Advisory Board as we plan our larger clinical studies. His guidance will be helpful as we advance tazbentetol (search) into registration-directed clinical studies."
Prof. Arnold expressed enthusiasm for the company's approach: "I am pleased to join Spinogenix (search)'s Scientific Advisory Board at a time when the field is increasingly focused on translating biological insights into effective therapies. I look forward to supporting the company's efforts in planning their next Alzheimer's trial to advance a first-in-class synaptic regenerative therapy in the field. Building on the translational work the Company has shown with EEG in the Phase 2a study, we hope to further integrate biomarker-driven strategies to inform the development of treatments for neurodegenerative disease."
Prof. Joseph T. Coyle Strengthens Schizophrenia (search) Program
Prof. Coyle, chair of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, has spent more than four decades researching brain function and neuropsychiatric disorders. His work has focused on developmental neurobiology, glutamatergic signaling, neuronal vulnerability, and psychopharmacology—areas that have significantly influenced modern understanding of schizophrenia (search) and related conditions. He has authored more than 500 scientific publications, and his research has been cited more than 87,000 times.
Beyond his academic research, Prof. Coyle has held several influential leadership positions, including chairman of Harvard Medical School's Department of Psychiatry, president of the Society for Neuroscience, and president of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His research has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health for more than 30 years.
"Prof. Coyle's pioneering work in neuropsychiatric research has shaped the current understanding of schizophrenia (search) and other brain disorders," said Dr. Sarraf. "His expertise, particularly in advancing EEG biomarkers and translating neuroscience discoveries into clinical development, will be instrumental as we advance our schizophrenia program."
Prof. Coyle commented: "Schizophrenia (search) remains a highly complex neuropsychiatric disorder, highlighting the need for therapies that address its underlying biology. I have been particularly impressed by Spinogenix (search)'s novel synaptic regenerative approach to treating neurological conditions, as well as the company's commitment to integrating EEG into the clinical development of tazbentetol (search)."
A Differentiated Synaptic Regenerative Platform
Spinogenix (search) is developing two novel therapeutics that aim to transform the treatment of neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric, and neurodevelopmental conditions. Unlike many existing therapies that primarily manage symptoms or slow disease progression, the company's drug candidates are designed to restore or correct synaptic function, targeting what it views as an underlying driver of neurological disease.
Tazbentetol (search) (SPG302) is designed to trigger neurons to produce new glutamatergic synapses (search) and restore cognitive, motor, and other functions in ALS, Alzheimer's disease (search), schizophrenia (search), and other diseases. The company's second candidate, SPG601, is designed to work at the synaptic level to correct specific dysfunctions in Fragile X Syndrome (search) (FXS) that underlie many core symptoms.
The company has received Orphan Drug designations from both the FDA and EMA for tazbentetol (search) in ALS, as well as FDA Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations for SPG601 in FXS. The appointments underscore the growing emphasis across the neuroscience industry on developing therapies that target disease mechanisms rather than symptom management alone, increasingly pairing drug development with biomarker strategies designed to improve clinical trial design and patient selection.