CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Indalo Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing integrin antagonists for patients suffering from serious fibrotic diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), today announced that Michael Heffernan has joined the Board of Directors as Chairman.

"Indalo's unique approach to treating fibrosis, combined with a highly experienced team and world-class financial backers, is poised to make a meaningful impact in serious fibrotic diseases," commented Mr. Heffernan. "I look forward to working with the Indalo team as the company advances its compelling lead program and continues to expand its pipeline of integrin antagonists."

Mr. Heffernan was most recently CEO of Collegium Pharmaceutical (COLL), a publicly traded pharmaceutical company that he founded and that is focused on developing and commercializing products for the treatment of chronic pain and related disorders. He also co-founded Avenge Bio, an immuno-oncology company that he is actively managing. He was previously CEO of Onset Dermatologics, a dermatology company that he founded and spun out of Collegium to create PreCision Dermatology, which was later sold to Valeant. Mr. Heffernan was previously Co-founder and CEO of Clinical Studies Ltd., a pharmaceutical contract research organization that was sold to PhyMatrix Corp, a public healthcare services company of which he later served as CEO and Chairman. Mr. Heffernan began his career at Eli Lilly, where he held a number of sales and marketing roles. He has recently served on the boards of TyRx (sold to Medtronic), Cornerstone Therapeutics (sold to Chiesi), PreCision Dermatology (sold to Valeant), and Ocata Therapeutics (sold to Astellas). He is currently Chairman of the board of Veloxis Pharmaceuticals (VELO) and Collegium Pharmaceutical (COLL) and is a member of the board of Akebia Therapeutics (AKBA) and Trevi Therapeutics (TRVI). He earned his B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut.

"We are excited to have Mike join Indalo at this important time for our company," said Robert Jacks, Indalo's President and CEO. "Having recently demonstrated excellent safety, tolerability, and oral pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers, our lead agent IDL-2965 is now being studied in a proof-of-biology trial in patients in preparation for initiation of late-stage and pivotal studies. As we advance into this next phase for the company, we look forward to benefiting from Mike's broad drug-development experience and deep strategic acumen."

About IDL-2965

Indalo's lead drug candidate, IDL-2965, is an oral, selective antagonist of RGD-binding integrins αvβ1, αvβ3, and αvβ6 that uniquely inhibits multiple processes of pathologic fibrosis, including the local activation of TGF-β by both epithelial cells and fibroblasts, as well as the ability of stiff extracellular matrix to promote fibroblast migration and survival. In preclinical models IDL-2965 provides potent antifibrotic efficacy at low once-daily oral doses across multiple animal models of disease in vital organ systems, including liver, lung, and kidney. A Phase 1b clinical trial testing IDL-2965 in IPF patients is currently ongoing.

About Indalo Therapeutics

Indalo Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing integrin antagonists for patients suffering from serious fibrotic diseases such as IPF and NASH. Indalo's approach is unique compared to other therapeutic options being explored as it directly targets multiple processes involved in pathologic fibrosis. Indalo's founders have investigated integrin antagonist biology and chemistry for decades, and its R&D leadership team was responsible for the development and approval of Esbriet^® at InterMune. Atlas Venture and F-Prime Capital co-led the company's Series A financing in 2017. The company has also received funding from BioGenerator, MTC, iSelect Fund, and other investors. Indalo's corporate office is located in Cambridge, MA. For more information, please visit www.indalotherapeutics.com.

SOURCE Indalo Therapeutics

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http://www.indalotherapeutics.com