Inotek Pharmaceuticals

Inotek, a privately-held company developing pharmaceuticals for eye diseases based in Massachusetts, has named David Southwell President and CEO. He will also join the Board of Directors. Southwell brings more than 20 years of pharmaceutical experience in financings, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate leadership.

Inotek’s new President previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Human Genome Sciences during the approval and launch of Benlysta, its novel lupus biologic, up to the company's acquisition by GSK in 2012. Before Human Genome Sciences, Southwell was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sepracor for 14 years, during which time the company raised over $2bn (€1.5bn) in equity and convertible security financings and developed and launched Lunesta, Xopenex, Brovana, and Xopenex HFA. He began his career in investment banking at Lehman Brothers, where he became Vice President.

Inotek’s lead programme, trabodenoson (INO-8875) is an adenosine mimetic that targets the A1 sub-receptor. The drug candidate aims to treat elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) associated with open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Inotek says its method of lowering IOP, allowing excess fluid to drain from the eye through the trabecular meshwork, could be used alone or in conjunction with other glaucoma medicines if approved. The candidate is currently in a multiple-dose late Phase 2 trial.