Hepion Pharmaceuticals Announces Management Changes

EDISON, N.J., Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:HEPA), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on Artificial Intelligence (“AI”)-assisted therapeutic drug development for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (“NASH”), fibrotic diseases, hepatocellular carcinoma (“HCC”), and other chronic diseases, announced that Stephen Harrison, M.D., has been appointed as Consultant Medical Director. Dr. Harrison, the current Chairman of Hepion’s Scientific Advisory Board (“SAB”), succeeds Todd Hobbs, M.D., who has provided notice to the Company of his resignation as Chief Medical Officer, effective September 29, 2023.

Dr. Harrison previously served as Hepion’s Consultant Medical Director from October 2019 until February 2021. He is currently a Visiting Professor of Hepatology at the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford. He is internationally known for studies in NAFLD/NASH (particularly drug development) with over 300 peer-reviewed publications and an H Index of 101. Dr. Harrison currently serves as the founder and chairman for both Pinnacle Clinical Research and Summit Clinical Research (an internationally recognized integrated research organization with over 100 sites worldwide) in San Antonio, Texas. He is the lead Principal Investigator for numerous NASH development programs.

“In the time that we have worked together, Dr. Hobbs has earned my deep personal admiration and great professional respect, and I thank him for his many contributions to the advancement of rencofilstat,” said Hepion’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Foster, PharmD, PhD. “I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. At the same time, I am pleased that our medical strategy and clinical development organization will be in the extremely capable hands of Dr. Harrison, a world-renowned expert in chronic hepatitis, fatty liver disease and NASH.”

Dr. Harrison commented, “Rencofilstat, a cyclophilin inhibitor, is a novel compound that is being developed for NASH and advanced fibrosis, as well as hepatocellular carcinoma. In my role as the Chairman of the Hepion SAB, I have been impressed with the clinical non-invasive data generated to date and believe this oral, once daily, novel therapy could have a significant positive impact on patient’s lives suffering from these two diseases. The Company is at an important crossroads with enrollment in a pivotal Phase 2b trial in NASH ongoing. I am happy to step up to the Consulting Medical Director role to help navigate Hepion through this important time.”