Helus Pharma (NASDAQ: HELP) (Cboe CA: HELP), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing novel serotonergic agonists (NSAs), has announced the appointment of Regina Donohue as chief people officer and Suresh Durgam, M.D., to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). These strategic hires come as the company prepares for potential commercialization of its lead candidates.
Donohue brings extensive experience in human resources, having most recently served as chief human resources officer at Intra-Cellular, where she built the company's people strategy and infrastructure, managing its growth to over 1,000 employees as it transitioned into a commercial-stage organization. Intra-Cellular was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in April 2025. Her background in scaling organizations will be crucial for Helus Pharma as it expands its workforce and operational capabilities.
Durgam adds more than two decades of CNS drug development expertise to the SAB. He previously served as executive vice president and chief medical officer at Intra-Cellular, where he helped secure FDA approvals for CAPLYTA across multiple indications. His experience in clinical development, regulatory strategy, and pharmacovigilance will be invaluable as Helus Pharma advances its pipeline through late-stage trials.
Helus Pharma CEO Michael Halstead emphasized that these appointments strengthen the company's organizational capabilities and scientific leadership as it advances its pipeline toward potential commercialization.
Helus Pharma is currently developing HLP003, a proprietary NSA in Phase 3 clinical development for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder, which has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, HLP004, another proprietary NSA, is in Phase 2 for generalized anxiety disorder. The company also has an extensive research portfolio of investigational NSAs.
The company's focus on novel serotonergic agonists aims to address the large unmet need in mental health treatment by promoting neuroplasticity. With the appointments of Donohue and Durgam, Helus Pharma is positioning itself to navigate the complexities of bringing innovative therapies to market.
For more information, visit the full press release at https://ibn.fm/Z7rgQ.
