Biotechnology company Exonate has appointed Olav Hellebø as Chief Executive Officer. 

Exonate, which specialises in small-molecule therapeutics for patients with retinal vascular diseases, says Hellebø will lead the company as it strengthens its executive team and advances toward key clinical and corporate milestones, including initiating a Phase IIb clinical trial of lead candidate EXN407 for diabetic eye disease. 

Hellebø has previous business and scientific leadership experience across the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, including in ophthalmology, immunology and oncology. As Chief Executive Officer of ReNeuron Group plc, he in-licensed a Retinitis Pigmentosa programme from the Schepens Eye Research Institute, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and completed equity financings totalling $125 million. 

“We are delighted to welcome Olav as CEO of Exonate,” said Dr Rafiq Hasan, Chair of the Board of Directors at Exonate.  

“Olav combines deep scientific understanding with extensive operational and commercial leadership experience, gained across both large pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotechnology businesses. His expertise in ophthalmology, together with his proven ability to build and lead successful organisations, makes him ideally suited to guide Exonate as we continue to advance our pipeline and create value for patients.  

“I would also like to thank Catherine Beech, one of Exonate’s co-founders, for her time as CEO, and look forward to continuing to work alongside her on the Board of Directors.” 

“Exonate is targeting the VEGF pathway, one of the most validated pathways in retinal disease through a differentiated, topical mechanism delivered as an eye drop, rather than the intravitreal injections used today,” Hellebø commented. 

“We are now ready for a Phase IIb study with a design endorsed by regulators and a clear path to registration, in which a positive result would be confirmed by a closely mirrored Phase III. For the many patients who go untreated rather than accept injections, this is a compelling proposition.”