Drug discovery expert will be responsible for developing Domain’s platforms and driving technology-based projects to support Domain’s development and growth
 
Strasbourg, France –Domain Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company specialized in the discovery and development of new drug candidates targeting transmembrane receptors in neurology, oncology and rare diseases, today announces the appointment of Xavier Leroy as chief technology officer (CTO). He will be part of Domain’s executive committee.
 
Xavier Leroy started his career at Axovan and later spent more than thirteen years at Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Switzerland), in positions of increasing seniority. As associate director he developed multiple GPCR-targeting programs in the field of neuroscience and inflammation. Most recently he was head of drug discovery at Belgium-based iTeos, overseeing the development of the company’s immune-oncology portfolio. Xavier is a member of the management committee of European Cooperation in Science and Technology(COST) where he actively participates in the European Research Network on Signal Transduction. He obtained a PhD in molecular and cellular biology before completing a post-doctoral fellowship at Novartis (Switzerland).
 
“I am delighted to welcome Xavier Leroy as chief technology officer,” said Pascal Neuville, CEO of Domain Therapeutics. “His track record and experience fit well with the positioning and future development plans of Domain Therapeutics, in which proprietary technologies are key elements.”
 
“I am very glad to join the team at Domain Therapeutics to support the expansion of its technologies and drive innovation,” said Xavier Leroy. “New technologies are an integral part of the core business of the company, as seen by its recent deal flow, and I look forward to developing its future success in this area.”
 

About G Protein-Coupled Receptors 
GPCRs belong to the family of membrane receptors and constitute one of the main classes oftherapeutic targets for many indications. The binding of a hormone or a specific ligand to a receptor’s binding site activates one or several pathways for intracellular signaling. This enables the cell to provide an adapted response to the change in its environment. GPCRs remain largely under-exploited to date. The many drugs that target GPCRs represent about 40% of all treatments on the market, but only address 15% of GPCRs.

Such receptors are widely expressed in the central nervous system where they play critical roles in regulating brain functions. A significant number of GPCRs are orphan receptors with no known ligand, making the corresponding drug discovery effort particularly challenging. Such complex targets are not addressable with conventional drug discovery approaches and require dedicated technologies.