SOMERVILLE, Mass., Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brenig Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage drug development company dedicated to advancing innovative small-molecule therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and powered by a novel AI-based discovery platform, today announced the appointment of Megan McGill, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. McGill will also join Brenig's Board of Directors.
"I am delighted to welcome Dr. Megan McGill to the Board of Directors and executive team at Brenig," said Iain Dukes, M.A., D.Phil., Chairman of the Board of Brenig and a venture partner at OrbiMed. "Megan is an exceptional leader with experience in drug development that will help Brenig progress our potential best-in-class treatments for Parkinson's disease into the next stage of development and expand our pipeline for neurological disorders."
Dr. McGill brings over ten years of experience spanning clinical medicine, drug discovery, translational neuroscience, and biotech company building. Prior to joining Brenig, she held leadership roles at Epitor Therapeutics, Regel Therapeutics and HitchBio as CEO as well as BridgeBio and Regenxbio in business development and strategy roles. She earned M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in neuroimaging and MRI physics from New York University School of Medicine, and residency training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and NYU Radiology. She also worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co. These experiences position Dr. McGill to help Brenig progress towards clinical success and growth.
"Neurologic disorders touch millions and remain a profound area of unmet need," said Dr. McGill. "I'm honored to join Brenig Therapeutics' world-class team to accelerate a pipeline that translates promising biology into therapies that can meaningfully improve patients' lives."
Brenig also announced that David L. Lucchino has stepped down from the company and wished him well in his next endeavor.
Founded in 2021 through the venture creation incubator run by Torrey Pines Investment and OrbiMed, Brenig secured a $65 million Series A financing in July 2024. That round was led by NEA with participation from BioGeneration Ventures, OrbiMed, Torrey Pines, and an additional US-based healthcare investor.
Brenig is currently advancing BT-267, a best-in-class LRRK2 inhibitor with the potential to be a disease-modifying treatment for both idiopathic and LRRK2-associated Parkinson's disease. Proof-of-concept studies in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease are expected to begin in the second half of 2026. In addition, the company is advancing BT-409, a brain penetrant NLRP3 inhibitor through IND-enabling studies as it prepares to initiate clinical studies in healthy volunteers and ultimately Parkinson's disease patients.
About BT-267
BT-267 is a small-molecule inhibitor targeting leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), a protein implicated in Parkinson's disease. BT-267 was designed and optimized for selectivity and to maximize brain permeability and distribution, thereby aiming to limit peripheral on- and off-target adverse effects. BT-267 has demonstrated promising preclinical results, including high brain penetration, minimal peripheral exposure, and a favorable safety profile. In November 2024, Brenig initiated a first-in-human clinical trial to assess BT-267's safety and tolerability in healthy volunteers, with plans to conduct proof-of-concept studies in patients with Parkinson's disease. Brenig anticipates topline data from the Phase 1a SAD and MAD studies, being conducted in Australia, by the end of second quarter 2026, with initiation of a proof of concept study in patients with Parkinson's disease by the end of 2026.
About BT-409
BT-409 is a novel potentially best in class small-molecule NLRP3 inhibitor designed to efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier, targeting a critical unmet need in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Preclinical studies demonstrated its potential to suppress NLRP3-driven neuroinflammation implicated in: Parkinson's disease by slowing neurodegeneration; Alzheimer's disease by modulating amyloid- and tau-associated inflammation; Multiple sclerosis by reducing demyelination and neuronal damage; Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) by mitigating tau-related neurodegeneration. Under the agreement, Brenig Therapeutics will advance BT-409 through clinical development and commercialization, with Phase 1a/b trials in healthy volunteers and idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients planned for Q4 2025.
About Brenig Therapeutics
Founded in 2021 and based in Somerville, MA, Brenig Therapeutics is a biotechnology company committed to pioneering innovative small-molecule therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Through advanced science and leading AI and machine learning discovery models, Brenig aims to deliver transformative solutions to address the root causes of debilitating neurologic conditions.
Media Contact: media@brenigther.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brenig-therapeutics-names-megan-mcgill-as-chief-executive-officer-302599501.html
SOURCE Brenig Therapeutics Inc
