Humonix Biosciences Appoints Karen Torrejon, PhD, as New Chief Executive Officer

ALBANY, N.Y., May 2, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Humonix Biosciences, Inc. (“Humonix”), a specialty pharmaceutical research company focused on 3D human tissue models capable of mimicking disease states for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients, today announced the appointment of Dr. Karen Torrejon as the new Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Torrejon, who originally founded the company in 2014, will now be leading the company as it transitions into a broader, science-driven platform expanding research offerings for industry clients.

Humonix’s platform has been built upon a proprietary 3D human tissue-based system, originally introduced for the study of glaucoma under the Glauconix name, that has now scaled to encompass multiple disease entities including retinal vascular disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and renal fibrosis. As a partner to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, Humonix serves to improve the drug development process by expediting the translation of preclinical research into human efficacy using validated human tissue models to predict potential future effect, reducing cost, and improving a program’s probability of success. Importantly, Humonix’s ex vivo system enriches the understanding of mechanisms underlying therapeutic efficacy while reducing the need for animal testing in line with the FDA’s Modernization Act 2.0. 

“I am excited to once again lead the company that I founded a decade ago as we now expand into broader disease models as Humonix Biosciences,” said Dr. Torrejon. “I am grateful to Ms. Southern for having helped Glauconix gain a foothold in the contract research space, and I’m truly excited to propel this company forward as Humonix to expand our scientific platform systematically. Our ability to test compounds in human tissues ex vivo sets us apart in enabling the early selection of ideal candidates for further development.”

“We would like to thank Ms. Southern for her exemplary service to the company,” said Richard Frederick, Chairman of the Humonix Board. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Torrejon once again guiding Humonix as its scientific visionary. We look forward to expanding into new areas of research, enabling incredible value creation for industry partners and inevitably for patients, alike.”

“The Board is truly excited to leverage Dr. Torrejon’s unparalleled scientific prowess to lead Humonix,” said Barbara Wirostko, MD, FARVO, Adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Utah, Chief Medical Officer of Qlaris Bio, Inc., and Humonix Board Member. “The ability of this platform to translate preclinical research into clinical efficacy offers immense opportunities to clients and ultimately to patients.”

About Humonix Biosciences, Inc.
Humonix Biosciences, Inc. was founded in 2014 in Albany, New York, with the aim to develop 3D human tissue models to mimic diseases in an ex vivo preclinical system. Humonix is focused on reducing the need to rely upon animal testing to predict the translation of preclinical drug or biologic efficacy to humans. Humonix Biosciences’ investors include Excell Partners, Eastern New York Angels and private equity investors as well. For more information, please visit www.humonixbio.com.

Media Contact
George Torrejon
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(631) 487-5553

Source: Humonix Biosciences Inc