RADNOR, PA — Mineralys Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: MLYS) has appointed two former pharmaceutical chief executives to its board of directors as the company prepares for the potential regulatory approval and commercial launch of lorundrostat, its experimental treatment for uncontrolled or resistant hypertension.
Kristine Peterson, former chief executive officer of Valeritas, and Lonnel Coats, former chief executive officer of Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, join the board as Mineralys works toward a potential transition from clinical drug development to commercial operations.
Both executives have more than 30 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, including leadership roles overseeing drug launches, sales organizations and operations across cardiovascular, metabolic and other therapeutic markets.
The appointments strengthen Mineralys’ commercial expertise as it prepares for the possibility of bringing lorundrostat to market. The drug is being developed to address hypertension associated with dysregulated aldosterone, a hormone involved in blood pressure regulation.
Lorundrostat remains investigational, and its commercial launch depends on regulatory approval.
Jon Congleton, Mineralys’ chief executive officer, said the appointments reflect the operational demands the company expects to face as it advances its lead drug candidate.
“We believe their track records of commercial execution, operational leadership and public company board service will make them valuable directors and resources as Mineralys transitions to a commercial-stage organization,” Congleton said.
Peterson previously held senior leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson, including company group chair of its Biotechnology Group and executive vice president of Pharmaceutical Group Strategic Marketing.
Her responsibilities included commercial operations, research and development, and biologics manufacturing across oncology, immunology and cell therapy.
Before joining Johnson & Johnson, Peterson served as senior vice president of commercial operations at Biovail Corporation and president of Biovail Pharmaceuticals.
She also spent 20 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb, holding senior sales, marketing and general management positions, including leadership of its cardiovascular and metabolic disease business.
Peterson currently serves on the boards of ArriVent BioPharma, Enanta Pharmaceuticals and Immunocore Holdings. She previously served on the board of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization.
Coats most recently led Lexicon Pharmaceuticals and previously held several executive positions at Eisai, including chief executive officer of North America.
At Eisai, he oversaw commercialization activities involving oncology, neurology, gastrointestinal disorders, epilepsy and metabolic diseases.
Earlier in his career, Coats spent eight years at Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals division in management and sales roles.
He currently serves on the board of Relay Therapeutics.
The appointments bring executives with experience managing established pharmaceutical businesses to a company whose near-term strategy centers on the potential commercialization of a single lead drug candidate.
Mineralys is developing treatments targeting aldosterone-related conditions, including hypertension and complications associated with chronic kidney disease and obstructive sleep apnea.
The company’s immediate commercial focus is lorundrostat, which is being developed for patients whose blood pressure remains inadequately controlled despite available therapies.
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