Helix BioPharma Corp., a clinical-stage oncology company, announced the appointments of Helen Middleton as General Counsel and David Browning as Vice President of Clinical Operations. The appointments come as the company prepares for its planned U.S. securities exchange listing and advances the next stage of development for its lead drug candidate L-DOS47.
Thomas Mehrling, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Helix, stated that the next stage of the company's evolution requires a different kind of organization than two years ago. He emphasized that the company is deliberately strengthening its legal, governance, and clinical execution capabilities to support its growth. With the preparation of a base shelf prospectus underway and the auditor review of second-quarter financials completed, Helix is executing a clear capital markets roadmap toward its planned U.S. exchange listing.
Helen Middleton brings over 30 years of experience in pharmacy, law, and the global life sciences industry. She is a qualified life sciences lawyer and registered clinical pharmacist who has advised pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies across the product life cycle. Her career includes senior legal roles at Sidley Austin LLP, Matheson LLP, Mundipharma International, Ipsen, and Abcam. Most recently, she served as Legal Consultant to Kyowa Kirin International. As General Counsel, she will oversee legal affairs, governance, compliance, and strategic transactions.
David Browning brings more than 30 years of experience leading global clinical development programs across biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and academic sectors. He has overseen more than 30 Phase I-III clinical studies, spanning first-in-human studies through regulatory approval, and has built global oncology clinical operations teams in North America, Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. As Vice President of Clinical Operations, he will lead the operational planning and execution of Helix's clinical development programs, including the planned LDOS007 study in first-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The appointments are another milestone in preparing Helix for its next phase of clinical development and capital markets execution. The company's pipeline is led by Tumor Defense Breaker L-DOS47, an antibody-enzyme conjugate designed to prime CEACAM6-expressing tumors for increased sensitivity to therapy. L-DOS47 has completed Phase Ib studies in NSCLC and shares its targeting foundation with Helix's next-generation bi-specific antibody-drug conjugates in discovery. The company also advances two pre-IND candidates: LEUMUNA, an oral immune checkpoint modulator for post-transplant leukemia relapse, and GEMCEDA, a first-in-class oral gemcitabine prodrug.
Helix is listed on the TSX under the symbol HBP, on OTC PINK as HBPCD, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as HBP0. For more information, visit the company's website at https://www.helixbiopharma.com/.
