Augustine Therapeutics appoints Rie Schultz Hansen, PhD
as Chief Scientific Officer and establishes Copenhagen-based subsidiary
- New recruit expands senior team capabilities as the business progresses its lead HDAC6 inhibitor program, AGT-100216, into the clinic for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease and continues building its pipeline in neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases
- Subsidiary Augustine Therapeutics Denmark ApS, located in Copenhagen, Denmark to serve as hub for the company’s research work in cardio-metabolic medicine
LEUVEN, Belgium – 21 May 2025 – Augustine Therapeutics NV (“Augustine” or “the Company”), a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through the inhibition of the cytosolic Histone DeACetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme, today announced the appointment of Rie Schultz Hansen, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer, effective immediately.
With more than 20 years’ experience in drug discovery and early-stage drug development, Rie is an experienced executive with a strong background in cardio-metabolic and inflammation-driven diseases as well as peptide therapeutics.
Prior to joining Augustine, she served as the Chief Scientific Officer at Aelin Therapeutics, where she played a key role in developing a degrader platform based on induced protein aggregation to neutralize disease-causing proteins. Later, she spearheaded an entrepreneurial initiative advancing AI/ML-based solutions derived from Aelin Therapeutics technology, securing initial funding and forging a collaboration for assay development and high-throughput screening capabilities.
Rie spent the majority of her career at the peptide development specialist Zealand Pharma (CPH: ZEAL) where she worked across multiple functional areas, mainly focused on cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Roles at Zealand Pharma included Innovation Officer, Vice President, Head of Discovery and Innovation, and Interim Chief Scientific Officer, governing the preclinical portfolio until CTA/IND submission and developing and implementing the strategy for research and chemistry for pre-clinical projects. Throughout her career Rie has maintained a strong connection with academia and has served for several years as a member of the Danish Cardiovascular Academy Grant committee.
In addition, Augustine today announced the founding of a Copenhagen, Denmark based subsidiary, Augustine Therapeutics Denmark ApS, which will serve as the company’s hub for research related to cardio-metabolic diseases.
Gerhard Koenig, PhD, CEO of Augustine Therapeutics commented: “Following the latest appointments of Virginie Cartage as Chief Financial Officer and Dr. Andy Hu as Chief Business Officer, I am pleased to further bolster our executive team. Rie’s expertise will be instrumental in advancing Augustine’s lead candidate, AGT-100216, through a Phase I/II proof-of-concept clinical trial in CMT and the Company’s two other programs in discovery targeting peripherally-restricted and blood-brain barrier-penetrant HDAC6i for undisclosed neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic indications. Rie’s deep knowledge around the biology of cardio-metabolic diseases will provide critical leadership as we as we grow into our next stage as a clinical stage company with a deep HDAC6i pipeline pursuing a range of clinical applications.”
Rie Schultz Hansen, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Augustine Therapeutics added: “Augustine is at a significant juncture in its development. With the Company’s novel and next generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6 and successful Series A fundraise, I am eager to leverage my experience in early-stage drug development and maximise the potential of the Company’s highly differentiated pipeline as we proceed into the clinic. Furthermore, the establishment of our Danish subsidiary will drive the for the expansion of our efforts in applying HDAC6i in cardio-metabolic diseases and allow us to tap into the unique depth of cardio-metabolic R&D capabilities in the Danish region.”
Rie received her Master’s in Biology and PhD at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Copenhagen. She is also a board member of the Peptide Therapeutics Foundation and a member of the DCAcademy Grant Committee (University of Copenhagen) and obtained her post doctorate in cardiovascular research.
Media Contacts:
Augustine Therapeutics
Gerhard Koenig, CEO
E-mail: info@augustinetx.com
ICR Healthcare
Amber Fennell
E-mail: augustinetx@icrhealthcare.com
About Augustine Therapeutics
Augustine Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through its next-generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6. Augustine’s HDAC6 inhibitors have been purposefully designed to selectively inhibit HDAC6 while preserving its beneficial non-catalytic functions. Augustine’s lead program, AGT-100216, is the first selective HDAC6 inhibitor for long-term treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. With its novel non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide producing chemotype, Augustine’s HDAC6 approach is selective, avoids the limitations of other chemotypes, and built for chronic diseases. With this novel approach, the Company will also be targeting diseases beyond CMT, including neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases. Augustine Therapeutics was founded on the ground-breaking research of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven in Belgium. The Company raised an oversubscribed EUR 78 million / USD 85 million Series A financing round in March 2025, led by Novo Holdings and Jeito Capital and supported by existing investors Asabys Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, AdBio partners, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB, Gemma Frisius Fund, the US-based Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Foundation and Newton Biocapital. For more information visit www.augustinetx.com
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