Saniona’s new CMO: “More deals are definitely on the horizon”
Saniona has appointed Pierandrea Muglia, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, bringing over three decades of expertise from large international pharmaceutical companies, biotech and neuroscience research. A board member since 2023, Muglia has seen Saniona’s pipeline grow and its partnerships, like the $610 million deal with Acadia Pharmaceuticals, thrive. Now, he’ll steer the company’s clinical and regulatory efforts as it prepares three candidates for phase II trials. We talked with Muglia to explore his visions.
Pierandrea Muglia joins Saniona from roles as VP and Head of Neurology Early Clinical Development at UCB, CMO at Handl Therapeutics, and President and Founder of GRIN Therapeutics. At GRIN, he built a clinical-stage company, securing funding for a successful proof of concept that is now leading to the start a phase III trial of a small molecule targeting a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. With over 100 high-impact publications, his career spans academia and industry.
CEO Thomas Feldthus praises Muglia’s arrival: “Pierandrea’s extensive expertise in clinical development is invaluable as Saniona advances its pipeline for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases. His leadership will be instrumental in driving the clinical strategy.”
Aiming to replicate the Acadia deal
Saniona’s pipeline focuses on epilepsy and neurological disorders, featuring SAN711 (phase II-ready for essential tremor), SAN2219 (acute repetitive seizures), and SAN2355 (focal onset seizures from the Kv7 program). In addition, the company has outlicensed tesofensine to Medix, targeting obesity, with a potential approval in Mexico during 2025.
In November last year, Saniona struck a partnership deal with Acadia Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize SAN711. The total potential deal size is USD 610 million, including an upfront payment of USD 28 million. In 2025, the company aims to replicate its Acadia deal for one of their assets, using funds to advance the others to proof-of-concept.
In his new role at Saniona, Dr. Muglia will oversee and strengthen the company’s clinical development and regulatory functions, solidifying its neurology foothold.
Questions to the CMO
BioStock reached out to Dr. Pierandrea Muglia for a comment.
How will your GRIN Therapeutics experience shape your approach as CMO of Saniona?
– My experience at GRIN Therapeutics was all about being innovative and thinking holistically. We worked on developing a small molecule that targets the underlying cause of a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, with the goal of addressing the broad range of symptoms it causes. That approach taught me a few critical lessons that I’m bringing with me to Saniona.
– First, we need a strong scientific rationale backed by solid data. The connection between a drug candidate’s mechanism of action and the underlying biology of the disease has to be clear and robust. That’s the foundation of everything.
– Second, we have to focus on areas of high unmet need where there’s a real potential to transform the standard of care. Drug development is costly and complex, so it’s essential to invest resources in candidates that offer significant benefits over what’s already available.
– Third, clinical program sophistication is key. It’s about designing rational drug development programs and, especially in CNS disorders, establishing biomarkers that can demonstrate early on whether a compound is doing what it’s supposed to do at the brain level. Being able to detect relevant pharmacology with achievable doses makes all the difference.
What’s the biggest strength in Saniona’s current pipeline?
– The biggest strength of Saniona’s pipeline is the combination of the potential to address high unmet medical needs and a high probability of success. What’s exciting is that all the compounds approaching clinical development have well-designed biomarker plans for both target engagement and early proof of concept.
– And as Sir James Whyte Black, the Nobel Prize winner, famously said: “The most fruitful basis for the discovery of a new drug is to start with an old drug.” That principle applies well here.
– Saniona’s pipeline represents years of dedication from talented chemists and biologists who, building on existing knowledge around molecules targeting known targets like GABA, have created innovative molecules with the potential to be truly transformative. That’s why I’m so enthusiastic about this new role and the company’s future.
How do you plan to leverage biomarkers in clinical trials?
– What’s remarkable about Saniona’s assets is that we have the tools to make early-stage development highly efficient. For all the compounds we’re preparing for clinical studies, we can use available PET imaging tracers to link doses with target engagement. We will also rely on established electrophysiology paradigms to detect relevant pharmacology.
– Having these tools in place gives us a fundamental advantage—it allows us to identify optimal doses for first-in-patient studies much earlier and more effectively than usual. This approach significantly de-risks the development process and maximizes the likelihood of success.
Having served on the board since 2023 and contributed to securing the Acadia partnership, how do you foresee striking a similar deal?
– The Acadia deal was a testament to the quality of molecules that the Saniona team continues to produce, especially considering the challenging economic environment we’re all navigating.
– The exciting part is that the other assets in the pipeline come from the same “production line.” They are high-quality compounds with clear value propositions and the potential to address multiple indications. We’re confident that as we continue to advance these assets, the interest from potential partners will only grow. So, yes, more deals are definitely on the horizon.
What’s your long-term vision as CMO?
– Saniona has already established itself as a strong platform and a preferred partner. Now, the next step is to strengthen our development capabilities and progress our assets further into clinical stages.
– The potential of Saniona’s assets positions the company to become a leader in the CNS biotech space—one that can truly compete with major players internationally. I see us building a pipeline that not only attracts partnerships but also brings real, transformative therapies to patients who desperately need them. That’s the ultimate goal.
The content of BioStock’s news and analyses is independent but the work of BioStock is to a certain degree financed by life science companies. The above article concerns a company from which BioStock has received financing.
