LSIPR 50 2017: John Mendlein

Name: John Mendlein

Organisation: aTyr Pharma

Position: CEO

San Diego-based biotech company aTyr Pharma did not just build on existing areas of science, it explored an entirely new area called physiocrines.

Physiocrines are signalling molecules that are believed to manage higher-level cellular activities to coordinate tissue function and maintain homeostasis.

The company claims to have uncovered early “hints” of the major function of physiocrines. It focuses on physiocrines that can “reset the immune system to control or reduce tissue damage”, while maintaining the immune system’s normal activity.

According to aTyr, this can be a way of creating therapeutics for autoimmune diseases.

The company’s first therapeutic, Resolaris, is in clinical trials for the treatment of severe myopathies (muscle-wasting diseases). Some results from the company’s early clinical trials have shown that the treatment improved muscle strength in up to 78% of patients.

John Mendlein has served as CEO of aTyr since 2011. He is also vice chairman of the board of Fate Therapeutics, and holds positions with Editas Medicine, Moderna Therapeutics and Axcella Health, all of which are biopharmaceutical companies.

"According to aTyr, this can be a way of creating therapeutics for autoimmune diseases."

Mendlein also serves on the board of the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

He has worked with a number of other companies such as Adnexus Therapeutics, Affinium Pharmaceuticals and Aurora Biosciences.