Urica Therapeutics, the newest subsidiary of Fortress Biotech, has appointed Jay D. Kranzler as chairman and CEO, the company said Monday.
An M.D./Ph.D. with experience across all aspects of drug development, Kranzler has been an advisor to Fortress for several years. He also brings over 30 years of experience working in operational and consulting capacities for large pharma and biotech companies.
Most recently, Kranzler was VP/global head of external R&D innovation and worldwide R&D strategic investments at Pfizer. He was also the founder and CEO of Cypress Bioscience, where he was credited with the development of Savella (milnacipran) for treating fibromyalgia. Additionally, he served as CEO of Cytel and was a founder of Perception Neuroscience, which was acquired by ATAI Life Sciences.
In this new role, he’s tasked with advancing Urica’s product candidate dotinurad, currently in phase 1 clinical trials in the U.S., for treating gout and possibly other hyperuricemic indications. Last year, Urica licensed the North American and European rights to dotinurad from Japan-based Fuji Yakuhin Co. Ltd., which already markets it in that country.
The company said it also strengthened its board with the appointment of Vibeke Strand, M.D., a Stanford professor who brings vast knowledge in rheumatology.
