Dr Gossen has over 20 years’ experience in pharmaceutical and biotechnological drug development. He received his PhD in Applied Biomedical Sciences from the Free University of Brussels (ULB, Belgium) and completed postdoctoral research as a Belgian American Educational Foundation Fellow (BAEF) at Tufts Medical Centre (formerly the New England Medical Centre) in Boston, Massachusetts. His research focused on the genetic regulatory mechanisms in the ontogeny of gastrointestinal hormones potentially involved in diabetes.

Dr Gossen joined the Eli Lilly Development Centre (Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium) as clinical researcher in 1994. He held positions of increasing responsibility in its clinical pharmacology department, where he served as clinical pharmacologist leading the early clinical development of new molecules.

He then joined the Therapeutic Neurosciences Group at UCB in Belgium as a research physician in charge of the clinical development of new molecules and line extensions of existing molecules.

When he returned to Eli Lilly, he was actively involved in the identification, development, and implementation of biomarkers, based on a proof-of-concept approach with a strong emphasis on preclinical/clinical translational research.

In 2007, Dr Gossen left Lilly to co-found Aepodia with Dr Demolle and other former colleagues and peers.

Dr Demolle has over 25 years’ experience in pharmaceutical development. She received her PhD in Applied Biomedical Sciences from the Free University of Brussels (ULB, Belgium).

In 1989, Dr Demolle joined the clinical research group of GD Searle Belgium where she managed efficacy trials, mainly in inflammatory diseases. In 1993, she joined Eli Lilly and was promoted in 1996 to the position of research scientist in clinical pharmacology.

Since 1999, Dr Demolle has held positions with increasing leadership responsibilities, first locally then globally. In 2003, she was placed in charge of the US Indianapolis Lilly clinical research unit (CRU) and of European operational staff. In 2004, she was promoted to associate director of global early phase operations. Dr Demolle has deep knowledge of drug development in different therapeutic areas combined with strong managerial skills. Thanks to her scientific background and understanding of compound development requirements, she efficiently reconciles “science” and operational constraints.

In 2007, Dr Demolle left Lilly to become co-founder of Aepodia with Denis Gossen and her former colleagues and peers.

Dr Pereira has over 18 years’ experience in drug development at pharmaceutical companies. He received his PhD in Biochemistry from the Free University of Brussels in Belgium. For his fellowship, he continued his academic research in the bioorganic chemistry and neurophysiopathology departments of the Free University of Brussels.

Dr Pereira joined the clinical pharmacology department at the Eli Lilly Development Centre in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, in 1996. As clinical pharmacologist, he held positions of increasing responsibility, involved in single pharmacological trials up to full phase I clinical development for new CNS molecules.

In 2007, he joined Aepodia to place his solid experience as an early drug developer and his high-level expertise in various therapeutic areas including the central nervous system, diabetes and metabolic diseases at the service of its scientific board. Dr Pereira has a good understanding of early drug development plans, implementing biomarkers in complex clinical trials and due diligence.