HENDRIK SCHOLL JOINS BELITE BIO AS CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Belite Bio Inc (Belite Bio), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical drug development company, announced its board of directors has appointed Hendrik Scholl, as the company’s Chief Medical Officer, effective immediately.

Dr Scholl is the foremost globally recognised authority on Stargardt disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), bringing decades of expertise in treating retinal diseases, including the two key indications targeted by Belite Bio's lead drug candidate, Tinlarebant.

“Dr Scholl has served as Chair of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board for both our Phase 2 and Phase 3 Stargardt disease trials, and his decision to join Belite further validates our belief in Tinlarebant’s immense potential to improve the lives of patients living with debilitating macular diseases.

“His leadership, expertise, and commitment to addressing this area of high unmet need has and will continue to be invaluable as we advance our clinical programmes,” said Belite Bio Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tom Lin in a statement.

Meanwhile, Dr Scholl said: “I have dedicated my career to improving the lives of people suffering from serious retinal and macular diseases, and I am deeply impressed by Belite Bio’s pioneering approach to developing transformative therapies for Stargardt disease and dry AMD, which have historically lacked effective treatment options.”

Dr Scholl served as the founding and scientific co-director of the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Basel, where he also led the Department of Ophthalmology as its Chairman. He is also the Founder and President of the Swiss Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO-SWISS).

Graduated from the University of Tübingen, Germany with a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Arts, Dr Scholl currently serves as President of the European Vision Institute as well as Chairman of the largest clinical research network in ophthalmology in Europe, EVICR.net, and its Expert Committee on Retinal Dystrophies.

-- BERNAMA