Vienna, Austria, March 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vienna, Austria, March 31, 2026 - Proxygen, a biotechnology company pioneering the discovery of molecular glue degraders and next-generation proximity-based therapeutics, today announced the appointment of Chiara Conti, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).
Dr. Conti joins Proxygen from Blueprint Medicines, where she identified four development candidates in seven years. Two of these were advanced to IND with unprecedented speed, while she also supported two additional clinical programs in Phase I. During her tenure, she established the company’s targeted protein degradation (TPD) platform and early-stage portfolio. Dr. Conti will lead Proxygen’s transition from discovery to clinical-stage execution, focusing on advancing the company’s pipeline into clinical development.
“Over the past five years, we have built one of the most advanced discovery engines for molecular glue degraders, consistently delivering differentiated assets,” said Bernd Boidol, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Proxygen. “Chiara’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment as we are now expanding into the broader induced proximity field, extending beyond degradation into a wider range of effectors. Her track record of rapidly translating discovery into IND-stage programs will be critical in accelerating our transition into the clinic. We are moving induced proximity from a discovery paradigm to a scalable, design-driven therapeutic modality.”
“I have known Proxygen since its establishment and followed its innovation over the years. Proxygen’s platform stands out for the depth of its scientific foundation in proximity-driven protein degradation and its ability to systematically harness that knowledge to identify novel therapeutics,” said Dr. Conti. “The opportunity to extend this platform beyond degradation into a broader induced-proximity engine is incredibly compelling, offering significant potential while advancing the existing portfolio.”
Proxygen will continue to invest in its degradation platform to maintain a dense and differentiated pipeline while expanding into new effector classes. This dual strategy reflects the company’s belief that induced proximity is a versatile therapeutic approach with the potential to address high-value targets beyond the current scope of drug discovery.
The company has established multiple pharmaceutical partnerships, including with Merck & Co (known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada), underscoring strong industry interest in proximity-based therapeutics.
Chiara Conti, Ph.D., © Proxygen GmbH
About Proxygen
Proxygen is a Vienna-based biotechnology company developing a new class of therapeutics based on induced proximity. Building on deep expertise in molecular glue degraders, the company is expanding into a broader range of proximity-inducing mechanisms to reprogram cellular biology and address high-value targets across oncology and beyond. Proxygen combines computational design, chemical biology, and functional genomics to systematically discover and develop proximity-based therapeutics.
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Contact Bernd Boidol, Ph.D. Chief Executive Officer management@proxygen.com For media inquiries MC Services AG Anne Hennecke/Lydia Robinson-García, Ph.D. Phone: +49 (0)170 7134018 proxygen@mc-services.eu
