Bengt von Mentzer founded PharmNovo 16 years ago, and today, his visionary approach and scientific process still drive the development of the groundbreaking compound PN6047. At the intersection of innovation and scientific leadership, Bengt von Mentzer is paving the way for how to reshape the landscape of chronic pain treatment.

PharmNovo was founded in 2008 by Bengt von Mentzer, who has over 30 years of experience in drug development and pain research at AstraZeneca.

The establishment of PharmNovo reflects a deliberate and natural progression in his career.

"It was a natural development. I had just finished writing a book on Molecular Pharmacology, subtitled “From Academic Research to Clinical Science”, and I was overseeing AstraZeneca’s academic contacts within the pain area. Founding PharmNovo was a personal decision fueled by encouragement from my academic colleagues”, says Bengt von Mentzer.

PharmNovo is working on a new type of treatment for neuropathic pain, a challenging condition that often becomes chronic. Their drug candidate, PN6047, originates from research conducted by Bengt von Mentzer and former colleagues at AstraZeneca.

As Chief Scientific Advisor of PharmNovo, Bengt von Mentzer is leading efforts to take the drug candidate from early research to market—a process he's familiar with from past experiences.

"One of my key strengths is the ability to stimulate innovative ideas in the drug discovery phase and actively contribute to bringing new medicines from inception to market."

The drug candidate PN6047 has demonstrated highly promising efficacy data in preclinical disease models. Bengt von Mentzer strongly believes that the treatment has the potential to help many patients suffering from neuropathic pain.

“And for a pioneering small biotech company, the innovative approach of creating a biased delta opioid agonist marks a paradigm shift. “

An agonist is a drug that binds to and activates a specific receptor. PN6047 is a potent, carefully developed agonist, a small molecule that selectively activates the delta (δ) opioid receptor (DOR). It does not, like conventional opioids, affect the mu (μ) opioid receptor, which is known to provide adequate relief for acute pain but also causes addiction and severe side effects.

“This compound is not just groundbreaking; it's being hailed as a potential blockbuster, representing a first-in-class molecule. In the challenging landscape of chronic pain treatment, our compound stands out by demonstrating no signs of drug abuse, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal complications, says Bengt von Mentzer.

The journey has been swift through Phase I clinical studies, surpassing the pace of many pharmaceutical counterparts. Bengt von Mentzer looks forward to the forthcoming Phase II studies. He strongly believes PharmNovo is poised for success.

"We have a novel medical compound, with first-in-class potential, that is effective on the disease we want to treat and is safe. Now it is time to show it is effective in patients affected by neuropathic pain”.

‍

Read more about Bengt here