Leal Therapeutics

Brian Kile is our VP of CMC and has served as the analytical subject matter expert for drug substance and drug product manufacturing across Leal’s pipeline since 2022. Brian received his Ph. D in Analytical Chemistry from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he studied the release of neurotransmitters in disease state models using a variety of analytical techniques. He went on to accumulate experience in different aspects of analytical method development and strategy as a Forensic E

Christian Jung, PhD is a Partner at SV Health Investors, co-leading the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF). He currently represents the fund on the Boards of Amphista Therapeutics Ltd., Harness Therapeutics Ltd., Leal Therapeuctics LLC and LoQus23 Therapeutics Ltd. Prior to joining SV, Christian held roles with Wellington Partners Life Sciences and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Europe’s leading seed fund with €2bn under management. There, Christian structured and completed the seed- and early-stage

Franz Hefti brings 40 years of experience in academic neuroscience and industrial drug discovery and development. Early in his career, as Associate Professor at the University of Miami and tenured Professor at the University of Southern California, he published extensively on neurotrophic factors and topics in neuropharmacology. He then transitioned to industry and served as Head of Neuroscience Research at and Senior Vice President of Neuroscience Research at Merck & Co. In the last 20 years, F

Laura D. Heckman is our Executive Vice President of Translational Sciences. She has extensive experience in a range of neurological disorders, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric, and in CNS therapeutics drug development. Prior to joining Leal, she led preclinical development for CNS therapeutics programs at Prevail Therapeutics and Spark Therapeutics, advancing multiple therapies into the clinic for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. She holds

Leal Therapeutics is developing neuro-metabolic therapeutics for high unmet need CNS disorders.

Leal Therapeutics completed a second close of its Series A, adding $30 million. The company is starting a Phase 1b/2a schizophrenia trial of LTX-001.

Aug 2026 · Leal TherapeuticsNews article

Leal Therapeutics doses the first patient in the NeurALS Phase 1/2 trial. The first-in-human study is of LTX-002, an SPTLC1-targeted antisense oligonucleotide, in people with ALS.

Jun 2026 · Leal TherapeuticsNews article

Leal Therapeutics appoints Johannes Tauscher as chief medical officer and Raymond Jordt as chief business officer. The company also provides a business update and updates its clinical pipeline.

Apr 2026 · Leal TherapeuticsNews article

Leal Therapeutics closes a $30 million Series A led by SV Health Investors' Dementia Discovery Fund. The financing will advance LTX-001 and LTX-002, neuro-metabolic therapies for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders with high unmet need.

Aug 2025 · PR NewswireNews article