Prof. Dr. Marcus Thelen Joins MetrioPharm AG as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO)
- Prof. Dr. Marcus Thelen has been appointed Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).
- He reinforces MetrioPharm’s scientific development strategy.
Zurich, September 12, 2025 - MetrioPharm AG, a biotech company developing medicines for inflammatory and infectious diseases, today announced the appointment of Prof. Dr. Marcus Thelen, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), effective immediately.
Prof. Dr. Thelen has been closely associated with MetrioPharm since 2024. As a member of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board, he has supported MetrioPharm with his longstanding expertise in cell physiology and immunology.
“By appointing Marcus Thelen, we are gaining an internationally recognized expert in signal transduction and inflammation research,” said Thomas Christély, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MetrioPharm AG. “His scientific expertise and experience in mitochondrial metabolism and cytokine-regulated inflammatory processes will be invaluable in deepening our understanding of the multiple mechanisms of action of MP1032, thereby advancing our pipeline and enhancing its value."
Prof. Dr. Thelen added: “As CSO, I will focus on advancing the scientific and translational strategy for our lead asset MP1032 to take the programs into the next phase. I am looking forward to working with MetrioPharm’s scientific team to further enhance our understanding of the positive impact of MP1032 on inflammatory and infectious pathologies."
MetrioPharm extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Wolfgang Brysch, co-founder and former Chief Scientific & Medical Officer, for his visionary contributions and tireless commitment, as well as for his lasting impact on the scientific and corporate development of MetrioPharm AG. Thomas Christély concluded: “We would like to express our sincere thanks to Dr. Wolfgang Brysch, who has shaped MetrioPharm from the very beginning with great passion and a pioneering spirit. On behalf of the entire team, I would like to express our deepest gratitude for the time we have shared and for his extraordinary dedication. We wish him all the best.”
Profile: Prof. Dr. Marcus Thelen
Prof. Dr. Marcus Thelen, PhD, is an emeritus honorary professor at the University of Bern (Switzerland). In 2000, he co-founded the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) in Bellinzona and led the IRB Signal Transduction Laboratory until his retirement in 2022.
Marcus Thelen received his PhD from the University of Bern in 1985, focusing on mitochondrial metabolism, and subsequently specialized in inflammation and chemokines at the Theodor Kocher Institute at the University of Bern. In 1989, he joined Alan Aderem’s group at The Rockefeller University (New York), where he focused on cytokine-mediated processes and signal transduction. A few years later, he received a career award from the Swiss National Science Foundation. He then returned to the Theodor Kocher Institute at the University of Bern, where he founded and led a research group on leukocyte signal transduction.
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.
MetrioPharm primarily focuses on rare inflammatory diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other orphan indications. However, the company is also exploring the partnering potential of its lead compound MP1032 in additional inflammatory and infectious diseases affecting large patient populations.
Inflammatory diseases often require long-term treatment with corticosteroids which can cause severe side effects. MP1032 exhibits therapeutic effects similar to those of corticosteroids and has an excellent safety profile. Thus, MP1032 represents a new concept in anti-inflammatory and steroid-sparing/replacement therapy, offering the potential for higher (synergistic) efficacy without the typical steroid-associated side effects.
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 a promising potential for pandemic preparedness against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza as well as for the treatment of patients with Long COVID.
Preclinical in vivo models across a broad range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of MP1032, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and sepsis Three phase II clinical efficacy trials with MP1032 (234 patients treated with MP1032) have provided important efficacy trends for patients with psoriasis and COVID.
MP1032 is the first and only drug capable of reducing excessive levels of ROS (reactive oxygen species) back to normal levels without falling below the physiological ROS levels which are required by cells to perform specific functions. In addition, MP1032 inhibits PARP-1 and broadly reduces inflammatory cytokines (cytokine storm) 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.
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Contact
MetrioPharm AG
Corporate Communications
presse@metriopharm.com
www.metriopharm.com
