DiogenX strengthens executive committee with Hélène Sicard joining as Chief Development Officer

Additional strengthening of operational team as lead candidate DGX-01 enters IND-enabling studies

Marseille, France, July 25, 2024 – DiogenX, a biotech company focused on regenerating insulin-producing beta cells for the treatment of diabetes, today announces the appointment of Hélène Sicard, PhD, as Chief Development Officer.

The appointment of Dr. Sicard comes at a time when the company has selected its lead candidate, DGX-01, a first-in-class recombinant protein that aims to replicate insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. DGX-01 is now entering IND-enabling studies. The company’s novel approach has the potential to become a disease-modifying therapy for type 1 diabetes (T1D), a chronic auto-immune condition that affects millions of people worldwide.

“Dr. Sicard has extensive experience in leading teams and projects through progressive phases of development in the biotechnology space. I look forward to the exciting path ahead in fulfilling our vision of regenerating functional pancreatic beta cells, with the ultimate aim of restoring patients’ insulin independence,” said Benjamin Charles, CEO of DiogenX.

Dr. Sicard brings to DiogenX over 25 years’ experience in the development of different drug classes (antibodies, small molecules, cell therapies), across multiple therapeutic areas. She has contributed to transitioning more than ten molecules from preclinical to early clinical stage and also has significant experience in late-stage drug development. Hélène has actively participated in the creation of several biotech companies, as well as their strategic and structural growth. Hélène holds a PhD in molecular biology from Toulouse Paul Sabatier University (France).

“I am thrilled to join DiogenX,” said Dr. Sicard. “Its lead candidate DGX-01 has shown outstanding efficacy in mouse models of T1D as well as safety in preclinical studies. I look forward to leading the development of this first-in-class disease modifying therapy towards the clinical stage.”

DiogenX also welcomes Laetitia Cohen-Tannoudji, as Senior Director, CMC, and Joanna Fares, as Director of Drug Development Sciences. Joanna and Laetitia join DiogenX from Emergence Tx (now a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company) and before that Innate Pharma. In addition, Renaud Perret joins the team as Director, Administration and Finance. He previously worked at Invectys and before that GSK for 16 years.

About DiogenX

DiogenX is a biotech company focused on regenerating insulin-producing beta cells for the treatment of diabetes.

Founded in 2020, its work is based on the pancreatic beta cell regeneration research of leading Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) scientist Patrick Collombat. The company is developing first-in-class recombinant proteins designed for the treatment of T1D. DiogenX’s lead program DGX-01 modulates the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway to regenerate insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells to offer a disease-modifying therapy for T1D. This program is currently undergoing IND-enabling studies.

DiogenX is supported by a network of world-leading experts in diabetes and a consortium of investors including diabetes and biopharma leaders Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Roche Venture Fund, Eli Lilly and Company, Omnes, Sunstone Capital, T1D Fund and AdBio partners.

The company, co-founded by Patrick Collombat, Jean-Pascal Tranié and Benjamin Charles, is based in Marseille, France, with research labs in Nice, France.

www.diogenx.com