Bioxodes appoints Marc Dechamps as new CEO

Edmond Godfroid, company’s founder, assumes role of CSO and COO as Bioxodes prepares to launch phase IIa clinical trial in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium, October 18, 2022 – Bioxodes SA, a company specializing in the development of novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of thrombotic and inflammatory diseases, today announces that it has appointed Marc Dechamps as its new CEO. Company founder, Edmond Godfroid, will take up the post of Chief Operations Officer (COO) alongside his existing responsibilities as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).

Marc Dechamps’ appointment coincides with Bioxodes’ recent recruitment drive to strengthen its teams in readiness for a phase IIa clinical trial for its flagship Ir-CPI molecule in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. The aim of the study is to show that Ir-CPI is safe and offers potential benefits for patients. Between 2016 and 2018, Ir-CPI underwent several preclinical trials, as well as a phase I clinical trial in healthy volunteers, running from 2019 to 2021.

Marc has more than 30 years of management experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, notably in the areas of strategic development and marketing. He was appointed for his leadership qualities and team management skills, as well as his extensive professional network and his understanding of players needs in this multinational industry. In his new role, he will take on the overall management of Bioxodes and oversee its transition to a clinical development company. Marc will spearhead efforts to secure the necessary funding for Bioxodes’ clinical development work and will establish strategic partnerships with key players in the pharmaceutical sector.

“I’m delighted to be joining Edmond and the Bioxodes team at such a pivotal moment for the company. It’s especially exciting to be involved in the fundraising activities and the clinical development, with the upcoming phase IIa clinical trials for Ir-CPI in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). There is currently no treatment option that can prevent acute secondary damage within the first 72 hours in patients exhibiting this pathology,” said Marc Dechamps.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Marc at this key moment for our company. His passion and wealth of knowledge in the world of investment and the pharmaceutical sector, will help us to achieve our strategic goals for our flagship product, Ir-CPI, with its unique properties and real potential to plug the current gap in the medical treatment of brain hemorrhages,” said Edmond Godfroid.

In his new role as COO, Edmond Godfroid, an expert in Ir-CPI and its potential applications, will be responsible for defining the company’s R&D strategy and operational approach in consultation with the management team. He will also ensure the ongoing development of the new molecules in the company’s drug pipeline.

“Not many projects in the biotech sector get as far as the patient clinical trial phase. Bioxodes is one. In recent months, we have worked hard to strengthen our clinical and regulatory teams. Thanks to these efforts and today’s appointment of Marc Dechamps, we are now ready to look for the funding we need to launch our clinical trial in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage,” added Pierre Detrixhe, head of operations at Investsud Tech and president of the board of directors at Bioxodes.

Ir-CPI is a first-in-class drug candidate. Thanks to its unique mode of action, it prevents both the formation of unwanted blood clots and any increased risks of bleeding (action on factors XIa and XIIa). It also prevents acute neuroinflammatory events associated with intracerebral hemorrhage by inhibiting neutrophils activation. Derived from a tick’s saliva, the product could become the first injectable antithrombotic drug suitable for use in patients within the first 72 hours of intracerebral hemorrhage. The market for an injectable form of such a molecule, primarily for use in hospitals, is estimated to be worth more than one billion dollars per year.

Between now and the end of October, Bioxodes plans to submit the protocol for the phase IIa clinical trial to the regulatory authorities. In addition to the company working to secure funding for this clinical phase, it is also planning for phase IIb, and intends to submit an application for orphan designation with the regulatory authorities in Europe and the United States.

Marc Dechamps is a biologist with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry dating back more than 35 years. During his career, he has worked for corporate pharma companies including GSK & ViiVHealthcare, building his expertise in market development for new products, including infectious diseases, immunological disorders, oncology, CNS disorders and vaccines. In 2016, Marc founded and became managing director of XMF consulting, a company which supports biotech and biopharma businesses with strategic advice and management leadership. He has also served as managing director of Delphi Genetics (CDMO) and interim CEO of eTheRNA Immunotherapies (a Belgian mRNA clinical stage biotech company). Marc is currently co-academic director for the newly created advanced masters in biotech & medtech ventures at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management. He is also responsible for representing BioWin – the life sciences cluster of Wallonia – on the international stage – and serves as president of the board for the Council of European BioRegions (CEBR) and the investment group Investsud Tech.

About Bioxodes
Bioxodes specializes in the development of novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of thrombotic and inflammatory diseases. Since it was founded in 2013, Bioxodes has developed its own flagship program based around its Ir-CPI molecule. Ir-CPI is a first-in-class drug candidate aimed at patients with thromboinflammatory disease. The company, which is based in Marche-en-Famenne and Gosselies in Belgium, has so far secured €22.1 million in funding from Belgian investment funds and business angels, including €8.5 million in non-dilutive funding from the Wallonia region. Bioxodes holds both granted and pending patents associated with Ir-CPI in the European Union and the United States.
www.bioxodes.com