Newleos Names Rohan Palekar as Board Chairman

– Prominent biotech leader and former Chief Executive Officer of 89bio joins Newleos Board of Directors –

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Newleos Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders, today announced the appointment of Rohan Palekar to its Board of Directors. Most recently, Mr. Palekar served as founding Chief Executive Officer at 89bio where he led multiple programs from preclinical studies through Phase 3 development in liver and cardiometabolic diseases. 89bio was acquired by Roche in 2025 for up to $3.5 billion.

In connection with his appointment, Mr. Palekar was elected Chairman of the Newleos Board. Christoph Westphal, M.D., Ph.D., who has served as Newleos’ Executive Chairman since the company’s founding, will step down from the role but will continue to serve on the Newleos Board on behalf of founding investor Longwood Fund.

“I am honored to join the Newleos Board as the company approaches key clinical inflection points in its ongoing anxiety trials,” said Mr. Palekar. “The CNS field is ripe for innovation, and Newleos holds the potential to address significant unmet need in patient communities that are underserved by traditional SSRIs and benzodiazepines.”

Mr. Palekar brings over 30 years of industry perspective to the Newleos Board with a proven track record of company building from venture-backed biotechnology start-ups to commercial-stage enterprises and executing on clinical trials amidst operational challenges. Prior to 89bio, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Avanir Pharmaceuticals, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system (CNS) disorders, after serving as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer. Avanir was acquired by Otsuka Pharmaceutical in 2015. Prior to Avanir, Mr. Palekar served as Chief Commercial Officer at Medivation overseeing commercial, medical affairs and CMC & manufacturing activities. Earlier in his career, Rohan was at Johnson & Johnson in various senior commercial and strategic management roles, including leading the company’s immunology franchise. Mr. Palekar also serves on the board of directors of Neurogene (Nasdaq: NGNE), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing life-changing genetic medicines for devastating neurological diseases. He previously served on the board of Neoleukin Therapeutics.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rohan to the Newleos Board of Directors,” said Christoph Westphal, Newleos’ co-founder. “Rohan brings an extraordinary record of industry success with broad strategic and operational experience across many therapeutic areas, including CNS, at biotech and pharma companies of all sizes.”

“We would like to thank Christoph for his support in launching Newleos and our portfolio of differentiated product candidates for some of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric indications,” noted Timothy Noyes, Newleos’ Chief Executive Officer. “On behalf of the Board, we are grateful for his many valued contributions as Executive Chairman and look forward to his continued insights and guidance as we advance the company to the next stage of development.”

About Newleos Therapeutics, Inc.

Newleos Therapeutics is dedicated to providing a new dawn or "eos" for the one in every eight people around the world who are suffering from mental illness. The company’s pipeline was licensed from Roche and focuses on innovative neuropsychiatric mechanisms of action that aim to reduce side effects and improve outcomes compared to the current standard of care. Newleos’ clinical-stage, oral small molecules target GABA_A-γ1, V1a, TAAR1 and GABA_A-α5, with first- or best-in-class potential in the treatment of general anxiety, social anxiety, substance use disorders, and cognitive impairment. Newleos launched in 2025 with an oversubscribed $93.5 million Series A financing led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives with participation from Novo Holdings A/S, Longwood Fund, DCVC Bio, and Arkin Bio Capital.

For more information visit www.newleos.com.