PHILADELPHIA, PA — As it prepares to test a first-of-its-kind gene therapy in patients, Nuevocor has named industry veteran Al Gianchetti as its new chief executive officer, a leadership move aimed at accelerating the company’s push into clinical development for life-threatening heart diseases.
Gianchetti was appointed CEO and a member of the board of directors, taking the helm at a pivotal moment as Nuevocor readies its first clinical trial and expands operations in the United States and Europe. The company is developing novel therapies for patients with aggressive cardiomyopathies who currently have no effective treatment options, targeting the underlying mechanobiology that drives disease progression.
“This is an important year for Nuevocor as we enter clinical trials,” said Andreas Wallnoefer, executive chairman and former acting CEO. He said Gianchetti’s background in cardiac gene therapy, fundraising, and clinical execution makes him uniquely suited to guide the company through its next phase of growth.
Gianchetti brings more than three decades of experience in drug development and commercialization, with a career focused heavily on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Most recently, he served for 10 years as president and CEO of XyloCor Therapeutics, where he led the company through key clinical milestones, secured major Series B financing, and advanced gene therapy programs into late-stage development. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at GSK and leadership positions at emerging biotech and specialty pharmaceutical firms.
“It is both an honor and a privilege to join Nuevocor at this pivotal time,” Gianchetti said, pointing to the company’s mechanobiology-based approach as a departure from traditional gene replacement strategies. He said the platform has the potential to redefine how rare and aggressive cardiomyopathies are treated and to open the door to broader applications in cardiovascular and genetic medicine.
Central to that effort is NVC-001, Nuevocor’s lead program and a first-in-class gene therapy targeting LMNA-related dilated cardiomyopathy, one of the most severe forms of the disease. Patients with LMNA DCM often experience rapid progression to end-stage heart failure and dangerous ventricular arrhythmias, with a heightened risk of sudden cardiac death.
NVC-001 is designed to reduce damaging forces on the cell nucleus and restore nuclear envelope integrity, a defining feature of LMNA DCM. In preclinical studies, the therapy showed significant improvements in survival and cardiac function. Nuevocor plans to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in early 2026, with sites planned in both the U.S. and Europe.
With a new CEO in place and its first human trial on the horizon, Nuevocor is positioning itself at the forefront of a new wave of genetic medicines aimed at some of cardiology’s most devastating and least treatable diseases.
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