NRG Taps Pharma Veteran to Advance Novel ALS & Parkinson’s Drug

STEVENAGE, United Kingdom – December 01, 2025 – In a strategic move signaling a pivotal transition from preclinical research to clinical-stage development, neuroscience innovator NRG Therapeutics has appointed industry veteran Dr. Paul Thompson as its new Chief Development Officer. The appointment comes on the heels of a substantial £50 million Series B financing round, equipping the company with the leadership and capital to advance its lead drug candidate, NRG5051, into human trials for devastating neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s.

This confluence of seasoned leadership and significant funding marks a critical inflection point for NRG Therapeutics. The company is now positioned to test its novel scientific approach—targeting mitochondrial dysfunction—in the clinic, a high-stakes endeavor that could offer a new frontier of hope for conditions that currently have no cure.

A Strategic Hire for a Pivotal Moment

Paul Thompson’s arrival at NRG is more than a routine executive appointment; it represents the acquisition of deep, specialized expertise at the precise moment the company needs it most. With over 25 years in translational research and pharmaceutical R&D, predominantly in neurology, Thompson brings a track record of guiding novel therapies from the laboratory to human studies.

His career includes leadership roles at global giants like GSK, where he rose to Director of Neurology Discovery Medicine, and more recently, at agile biotechs. As Chief Scientific Officer at Mission Therapeutics, he was instrumental in driving a novel Parkinson’s disease program into Phase 1 clinical trials, an effort partly funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Thompson's continued advisory role with the foundation underscores his standing in the field. This background makes him uniquely suited to steer NRG5051 through the complex regulatory and operational hurdles of early-phase clinical development.

NRG Therapeutics’ co-founder and CEO Neil Miller highlighted the significance of the hire, stating, “Paul is a fantastic addition to the team, and I welcome him into NRG. His skills and expertise will enable us to efficiently progress NRG5051 through first-in-human clinical trials and into a PoC in ALS/MND, and to lay the ground for development in other indications including Parkinson’s.” Miller added that Thompson “joins at a pivotal time as we seek to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of NRG’s first-in-class mPTP inhibitors as disease modifying medicines for neurodegenerative diseases.”

Thompson's move from established pharma and successful biotechs to the UK-based startup also reflects a broader industry trend: top-tier talent is increasingly drawn to innovative, well-funded startups that offer the agility to pursue groundbreaking science.

Targeting the Cellular Powerhouse

The scientific premise behind NRG Therapeutics’ work is a departure from many conventional approaches. The company is focused on the mitochondria, the microscopic powerhouses within our cells that generate energy. A growing body of evidence implicates mitochondrial dysfunction as a central culprit in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. When these powerhouses fail, cells—particularly energy-intensive neurons—suffer and die.

NRG’s lead asset, NRG5051, is an oral small molecule designed to inhibit the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). In a healthy state, this pore remains closed, but in disease states characterized by cellular stress, it can open, triggering a cascade that leads to mitochondrial breakdown and cell death. NRG5051 is designed to keep this gate shut, thereby protecting neurons, reducing neuroinflammation, and preserving mitochondrial function.

Paul Thompson expressed his confidence in the approach, noting the compelling preclinical data was a key factor in his decision to join. “I have been very encouraged by the compelling in vivo efficacy data for NRG5051 in rodent models of Parkinson’s and ALS/MND, that has validated the molecules’ novel MoA and demonstrated the therapeutic potential of NRG5051,” he said. A particularly exciting finding was the drug's ability to reduce levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a clinically validated biomarker that indicates nerve damage. A reduction in NfL suggests the drug may be slowing or halting the degenerative process itself.

Navigating the High-Stakes Clinical Gauntlet

With IND-enabling studies complete, NRG Therapeutics is on track to initiate first-in-human (Phase 1) trials for NRG5051 in early 2026. This crucial first step, primarily designed to assess safety and dosage in human subjects, is a major milestone that transforms a research entity into a clinical-stage company. For a small biotech, it is the moment where years of laboratory work face their first real-world test.

The company’s strategy extends beyond this initial phase. The £50 million in new funding provides the necessary financial runway to execute a multi-pronged clinical plan. This includes a Phase 1b study to gather early efficacy signals in Parkinson’s patients and a more extensive Phase 2 proof-of-concept study in patients with ALS, a rapidly progressing and fatal motor neuron disease with an urgent need for new treatments.

Successfully navigating these early clinical phases is paramount. Positive data not only validates the scientific hypothesis but also de-risks the asset, making the company an attractive target for future investment or partnership with larger pharmaceutical firms that possess the resources for costly late-stage trials and global commercialization.

A Syndicate of Specialist Investors

The oversubscribed £50 million Series B round is a powerful vote of confidence not just in NRG’s science, but also in its strategy. The syndicate of investors is a telling mix of specialist funds and strategic backers. The round was led by the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), a highly specialized venture fund focused exclusively on developing new therapeutics for dementia-related conditions. Its leadership signals strong belief in the potential of mPTP inhibition as a valid therapeutic target.

Further bolstering the roster are new investors like the British Business Bank, whose participation highlights the UK’s commitment to fostering its domestic life sciences ecosystem, and corporate venture arms like M Ventures and the Novartis Venture Fund. Critically, founding investors such as Omega Funds, Brandon Capital, and Parkinson’s UK also participated, demonstrating continued belief in the company’s trajectory. The ongoing support from Parkinson’s UK, through its Parkinson's Virtual Biotech program, provides not only capital but also deep disease-specific expertise and a direct line to the patient community NRG aims to serve.

This powerful backing provides the financial stability required to pursue an ambitious, multi-year clinical program and validates NRG as a significant player in the UK's burgeoning neuroscience hub. It is this combination of capital, scientific innovation, and now, seasoned clinical leadership that forms the foundation of the company’s growth strategy. The next challenge is to translate that potential into clinical reality.