Biotech Veteran to Chair AstronauTx in Novel Alzheimer's Sleep Fight

LONDON, UK – January 07, 2026 – In a significant strategic move, London-based biotechnology firm AstronauTx has appointed Adam Rosenberg, a seasoned executive with a formidable track record in neuroscience, as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. The appointment signals a new phase of accelerated growth for the company as it prepares to advance its innovative pipeline, which uniquely targets sleep quality to combat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

AstronauTx, which is developing therapeutics to treat neurological disorders by improving sleep architecture, gains a leader renowned for building and guiding biotech companies toward high-value acquisitions and partnerships. Rosenberg’s arrival comes at a pivotal moment, following the company's successful £48 million ($61 million) Series A financing in late 2023, and as it pushes its preclinical programs toward human trials.

A Strategic Appointment for a Critical Phase

Adam Rosenberg is not merely a new name on the letterhead; he represents a wealth of strategic, operational, and transactional expertise crucial for a biotech transitioning from discovery to clinical development. His career spans more than two decades and is distinguished by leadership roles at multiple companies focused on central nervous system (CNS) disorders. He notably served as President and CEO of Rodin Therapeutics, an epigenetic-focused neuroscience company acquired by Alkermes in 2019, and as CEO of Aliada Therapeutics, which was later acquired by AbbVie. His experience extends to co-founding and leading companies like Link Medicine, whose lead program was acquired by AstraZeneca.

This pattern of steering innovative science toward successful strategic exits is precisely the experience venture-backed biotechs covet. In his role as Chair, Rosenberg is expected to provide critical governance and mentorship, helping to navigate the complex regulatory and financial landscape of drug development. His current portfolio, which includes serving as CEO of RyCarma Therapeutics and Chair at VectorY Therapeutics and Seamless Therapeutics, underscores his continued influence in the life sciences sector.

Jane Rhodes, Chief Executive Officer of AstronauTx, highlighted the importance of the timing. "Adam's deep experience in building successful neuroscience companies and leading strategic transactions will be invaluable as AstronauTx enters its next phase of growth," she stated. "His insight and leadership come at a pivotal time as we progress our programmes toward the clinic and continue to strengthen our position as pioneers developing therapeutics at the intersection of sleep physiology and neurodegenerative disease."

The Science of Sleep: A New Frontier in Alzheimer's

For decades, Alzheimer's research was dominated by therapies targeting amyloid plaques and tau tangles, with a frustrating history of clinical failures. AstronauTx is at the forefront of a paradigm shift, focusing on a fundamental biological process intimately linked to brain health: sleep.

A growing body of scientific evidence reveals that disrupted sleep is not just a symptom of neurodegeneration but a potential driver of the disease itself. During deep, slow-wave sleep, the brain activates its 'glymphatic system,' a waste-clearance mechanism that flushes out toxic proteins, including the very amyloid and tau proteins implicated in Alzheimer's. When sleep architecture is compromised, this clearance process is impaired, allowing toxins to accumulate and damage neurons.

AstronauTx aims to intervene directly in this process. The company's approach is grounded in correcting the brain's disrupted physiology by developing small-molecule drugs that modulate key cellular players. One of its primary focuses is on astrocytes, star-shaped support cells in the brain that are crucial for nerve cell function but can become dysfunctional and damaging in disease states. By developing medicines that can "reset the behavior of astrocytes," AstronauTx hopes to restore the brain's own protective mechanisms, offering the potential for both symptomatic relief and true disease modification.

"There is increasing awareness around the importance of sleep quality in relation to cognitive function and disease progression," commented Adam Rosenberg on his appointment. "AstronauTx's focus on sleep as a therapeutic entry point for neurodegenerative diseases has the potential to transform how we treat Alzheimer's and other neurological conditions."

Backed by Heavyweights and Poised for Growth

The scientific promise of AstronauTx is underpinned by formidable financial and strategic backing. The company was created in 2019 by the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), the world's largest venture capital fund dedicated solely to dementia, and its potential was validated by a £48 million Series A round in October 2023. This substantial financing was led by the Novartis Venture Fund, with a powerful syndicate of investors including MPM BioImpact, Brandon Capital, EQT Life Sciences, Bristol Myers Squibb, and the DDF itself.

The involvement of corporate venture arms from pharmaceutical giants like Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb is a significant endorsement. It signals that major industry players see AstronauTx's astrocyte and sleep-focused platform not just as novel science, but as a commercially viable strategy with the potential to fill a vast unmet medical need. This funding is now being deployed to propel the company's lead programs through the final stages of preclinical work and into initial clinical studies, a critical step that will provide the first human data on this innovative approach.

The investment thesis of the DDF, which manages over $700 million, is to fill the innovation gap in dementia research by backing diverse and cutting-edge science. By investing in areas beyond the traditional amyloid hypothesis, such as neuroinflammation and synaptic physiology, the DDF and its partners are cultivating the next generation of potential dementia therapies. AstronauTx stands as a prime example of this strategy in action, representing a calculated and well-funded effort to chart a new course in the fight against Alzheimer's.