Concentric Analgesics Deepens Leadership Team to Advance Non-Opioid Pain Portfolio

Appoints Dr. Susan Kramer as Executive VP, Program Management & Strategy and Dr. Mike A. Royal as Chief Medical Officer

April 3, 2018

Concentric Analgesics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical pain company, announced today that it has appointed Susan Kramer, DrPH, Executive Vice President, Program Management & Strategy and Mike A. Royal, MD, Chief Medical Officer. Drs. Kramer and Royal collectively bring more than 50 years of senior biopharmaceutical development experience leading multiple first-in-class therapeutics through market approval. 

“We are thrilled to welcome these two highly experienced biopharmaceutical executives to the Concentric management team,” said John Donovan, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Concentric Analgesics. “Susan and Mike’s track records speak for themselves, and I am confident that their leadership will help ensure successful execution of the Company’s ambitious development efforts across its postsurgical, cancer and osteoarthritis programs.” 

Dr. Kramer possesses more than 30 years of research and development experience, having spent 18 years at Genentech bringing multiple novel therapeutics to market. Most recently Vice President of Product Development at Annexion, she has also held senior development roles for a number of companies, including Xoma, Corthera and Anesiva. Dr. Kramer holds a DrPH in Biomedical Sciences (Virology), and an MPH in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. 

“I am pleased to be joining Concentric at this important stage of its development. My enthusiasm for the opportunity is underpinned by my experience with the therapeutic approach, having worked with the portfolio’s active molecule, capsaicin, earlier in my career. I am confident that the TRPV1-agonist prodrugs for each of Concentric’s programs will have a safety and efficacy profile that can lead to approval and have the potential for a profound impact clinically and commercially,” said Dr. Kramer. 

Dr. Royal has 17 years of pain drug development and medical affairs experience. He has held senior clinical roles at Liquidia, Sorrento, AcelRx, Cadence and Solstice. Board certified in Internal Medicine, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine with 12 years of clinical research in academic and private practice, Dr. Royal received his MD from the University of Massachusetts, a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law, and a joint MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and London School of Economics. 

“Clinicians are seeking innovative non-opioid solutions that provide meaningful reductions in pain and opioid use in the critical 24-to-96 hours following surgery. I was drawn to Concentric’s prodrug platform because it has the potential to deliver ground-breaking improvement in the 

management of pain across multiple clinical settings where there is significant unmet need,” said Dr. Royal. 

ABOUT TRPV1-AGONIST PRO-DRUGS Concentric Analgesic’s lead investigational product candidates are proprietary water-soluble prodrugs that convert into capsaicin – the naturally occurring molecule that gives chili peppers their heat and is a potent TRPV-1 agonist. Capsaicin, which has a long history of use as a topical analgesic, selectively and reversibly desensitizes pain conducting nerve fibers (C-fiber nociceptors). TRPV-1 agonism evokes an initial neuronal excitation that is followed by a durable refractory state to provide long lasting analgesia. 

ABOUT CONCENTRIC ANALGESICS Concentric Analgesics, Inc. is a privately-held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel, non-opioid therapeutics for the management of acute and chronic pain. The Company recently completed enrollment in its Phase 1b clinical trial in patients undergoing bunionectomy for its lead program for post-surgical pain, CA-008. It also has pre-clinical development programs in cancer and osteoarthritis pain.

For more information, please visit www.concentricanalgesics.com.

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