Vincent Aurentz Joins Forward Therapeutics' Board of Directors

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Forward Therapeutics, Inc., a pioneering biopharmaceutical company committed to transforming the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders, today announced the appointment of Vincent Aurentz to its board of directors.

Mr. Aurentz brings extensive strategic expertise and business leadership, developed over more than 35 years in the biopharmaceutical industry. Notably, he served as Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Business Officer (CBO) at Arena Pharmaceuticals, where he played a pivotal role in shaping corporate strategy and business development. His leadership efforts culminated in Arena's acquisition by Pfizer for $6.7 billion. Mr. Aurentz also played a significant role in the formation of Arena's spinout, Longboard Therapeutics, which was recently acquired by Lundbeck for approximately $2.6 billion. He served on Longboard's board, further contributing to its strategic growth and success.

"We are thrilled to welcome Vince to our board", commented Toufike Kanouni, Forward's CEO and co-founder. "Vince's extensive experience in corporate strategy and business development, coupled with his proven track record of driving growth and creating value, will be instrumental as Forward continues to advance its pipeline of next-generation immune therapies."

Looking forward to his new role, Vince remarked, "I am excited to join Forward Therapeutics at such a pivotal moment. Their innovative platform has built a portfolio of oral immunomodulators creating the potential for a wave of best-in-class therapies.  This could bring important improvement and much-needed alternatives to existing therapies to provide options to the entire spectrum of patients with immune-mediated disorders."

About Vincent Aurentz

Vincent E. Aurentz brings decades of experience in the biopharmaceutical sector, having held key leadership positions across industry-leading organizations. He serves on the board of several companies including Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and CorHepta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  Prior to his role as EVP and CBO at Arena Pharmaceuticals, he served in executive and board positions in multiple biotech companies. Vince also held an executive board role at Merck KGaA/Merck Serono and held senior executive leadership roles at Quintiles, CSC Healthcare, and Andersen Consulting as wel as co-founded a venture capital and advisory firm. He holds a B.S. in Mathematics and was the Medallion Award winner for outstanding achievement in Mathematics from Villanova University.

About Forward Therapeutics

Forward Therapeutics, Inc. is a next-generation biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders through its pipeline of novel small-molecule immune therapies. In late 2023, Forward raised $50 million in Series A funding from leading healthcare investors, including BVF, RA Capital, and OrbiMed. For more information, visit www.forward-tx.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact
Toufike Kanouni
CEO and Co-founder
Forward Therapeutics, Inc.
(561) 232-2641
[email protected]

SOURCE Forward Therapeutics