Steffen Stürzebecher, MD, PhD, Appointed New Chief Medical Officer at MetrioPharm
- Steffen Stürzebecher, MD, PhD, takes on the position of Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
- He joins the management team of Thomas Christély, CEO, and Marcus Thelen, PhD, CSO.
Zurich, March 11, 2026 - MetrioPharm AG, a biotech company developing drugs for inflammatory and infectious diseases, today announced that Prof. Dr. med. Steffen Stürzebecher, MD, PhD has been appointed Chief Medical Officer (CMO) effective immediately.
Steffen Stürzebecher has been advising MetrioPharm since September 2025 as Senior Development Advisor. In this role, he has particularly supported the company in the further development of its clinical and medical strategy and in key development activities.
Thomas Christély, Chief Executive Officer of MetrioPharm AG, welcomes the new addition: "We are delighted to welcome Steffen Stürzebecher as MetrioPharm's Chief Medical Officer. Steffen has successfully developed therapeutics through to approval in leading management positions at Schering, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and the Grünenthal Group, among others. His extensive expertise in setting up global development programs will be invaluable in advancing MP1032 through to market approval."
Steffen Stürzebecher adds: “MetrioPharm has a promising pipeline of potential therapeutic uses of MP1032 and a highly committed team. As CMO, I look forward to further refining the clinical and medical strategy and implementing the next steps in the development.”
Profile: Prof. Steffen Stürzebecher, MD, PhD
Steffen Stürzebecher has more than 40 years of experience as a drug developer in the pharmaceutical industry. He brings management responsibility from various companies as well as many years of expertise in clinical development and medical strategy. Until its acquisition by Bayer in 2006, Prof. Stürzebecher held senior positions in clinical development at Schering AG and was subsequently responsible for clinical development as President Clinical R&D / CMO at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and as Head of Development and later as CMO at Grünenthal Group, respectively.
Prof. Steffen Stürzebecher is a board-certified pharmacologist and toxicologist and an honorary professor at the University of Applied Sciences (HTW) Berlin. He received his doctorate from the Free University of Berlin and completed his postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health (NINDS, Neuroimmunology Branch).
About MetrioPharm AG
MetrioPharm AG is a Swiss clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class self-regulating immunomodulators for novel therapies targeting a broad range of inflammatory and infectious diseases. These therapies are distinguished by their excellent safety profile, as they do not cause immunosuppression.
The company focuses primarily on rare inflammatory diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other orphan indications. MetrioPharm is also expanding the out-licensing potential of its lead compound MP1032 for other inflammatory and infectious diseases with large patient groups.
Inflammatory diseases often require long-term treatment with corticosteroids, which can cause severe side effects. MP1032 exhibits therapeutic effects similar to steroids and has an excellent safety profile. Therefore, MP1032 is a promising new approach to anti-inflammatory and steroid-sparing/replacement therapy, offering the potential for greater efficacy without the typical side effects associated with steroids.
Furthermore, MP1032 demonstrates anti-infectious efficacy against a wide range of viruses and bacteria based on its host-directed mechanism of action. The results of the phase IIa study on COVID-19, funded by an €8 million EU grant and published in The LANCET Europe, indicate promising potential for preparedness against the next viral or bacterial pandemics (pandemic preparedness) as well as for treating patients suffering from Long COVID.
Preclinical in vivo models of various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and sepsis, have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of MP1032. Three phase II clinical efficacy trials involving 217 patients have revealed important trends in the efficacy of MP1032 for treating psoriasis and COVID.
MP1032 is the first and only drug capable of reducing excessive levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) back to normal levels without falling below physiological levels, which are required by cells to perform specific functions. Additionally, MP1032 inhibits PARP-1 and reduces inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-23, to physiological levels.
The company is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and has a subsidiary in Berlin, Germany.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties and reflect MetrioPharm AG’s assessment as of the date of this release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. No liability or warranty is assumed, and no claim is made as to the timeliness, accuracy, or completeness of the data and information provided herein; no legal obligation should be inferred from such data and information, whether expressly or by implication.
Contact
MetrioPharm AG
Corporate Communications
presse@metriopharm.com
www.metriopharm.com
