Profile

HMNC Brain Health (HMNC Holding GmbH) is a global precision psychiatry biopharma company headquartered in Munich, Germany, pioneering personalized therapies powered by predictive companion diagnostics to achieve higher remission rates. The company is developing a unique pipeline for targeting both Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), with operations in Germany and the U.S. The company is supported by a renowned global VC, several family offices, and a strategic healthcare investor.

Visit www.hmnc-brainhealth.com

Key Products

Ketabon

The Ketabon program, a joint venture between HMNC Brain Health and Develco Pharma, features an oral, prolonged-release ketamine formulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). This formulation aims to enhance tolerability and patient convenience by reducing dissociative effects compared to intravenous and intranasal therapies. With TRD affecting 30% of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients who do not respond to standard antidepressants, the oral formulation has demonstrated promising response rates. HMNC Brain Health is advancing this formulation through a Phase II clinical study.

Nelivabon

The Nelivabon program features nelivaptan, a Phase-II-ready compound, and a matching molecular diagnostic test targeting Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) related to HPA-axis dysfunction. Nelivaptan, an antagonist at the vasopressin V1b receptor, aims to treat anxiety and depression linked to elevated vasopressin activity. The program includes a predictive diagnostic to identify patients with HPA-axis dysfunction. Nelivaptan has shown good tolerability and, once validated, could offer an effective treatment for stress-axis-related MDD. The program began a Phase-II proof-of-concept study in H1 2023.

ABCB1 Test

HMNC Brain Health’s ABCB1 test predicts patient response to commonly prescribed antidepressants by determining individual P-glycoprotein (P-gp) genotypes. This enables faster, personalized treatment decisions, improving efficacy and reducing side effects for the two-thirds of patients with less effective P-gp substrates. The test enhances treatment outcomes, leading to quicker responses, higher remission rates, and reduced relapse risk. Validated by a meta-analysis of over 2,600 patients, the ABCB1 test is currently available in Germany, Switzerland, and France.

Key Executives

Dr. Maximilian Döbler, Chief Business Officer

As Chief Business Officer at HMNC Brain Health, Dr. Maximilian Döbler oversees all business and corporate development, including partnership agreements and strategic planning. He also manages the company’s Marketing and Communication activities. Dr. Döbler holds a Doctor of Laws from the University of Salzburg and began his career as a management consultant at KPMG. He later served as Executive Assistant to the CEO at the Maschmeyer Group, where he managed portfolio companies, conducted due diligence, and handled fundraising and investor relations.

Dr. Hans Eriksson, Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Hans Eriksson, Chief Medical Officer at HMNC Brain Health, brings over 20 years of experience in clinical development for psychiatric therapeutics. He has led late-phase clinical programs for depression, securing regulatory approvals for Major Depressive Disorder. Dr. Eriksson has worked in Sweden, Denmark, the USA, and the UK, and holds an MD and PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from Lund University, along with an Executive MBA from Stockholm School of Economics. He previously served as Consultant Psychiatrist and Assistant Head of Psychiatry at Lund University Hospital.

Dr. Daniel Gehrlach, Associate Director of Biomarkers

Dr. Daniel Gehrlach is Associate Director of Biomarkers at HMNC Brain Health. He holds degrees in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Medical Neurosciences and completed his PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology. Awarded the Max Planck Institute’s Young Scientist Award 2019, his work was published in Nature Neuroscience. At HMNC, he leads a Phase II clinical trial, oversees companion diagnostics co-development, and manages regulatory affairs, CROs, and CMC. He also contributes to business development and intellectual property.

Prof. Bertram Müller-Myhsok, Head of Precision Psychiatry

Bertram Müller-Myhsok, Head of Precision Psychiatry at HMNC Brain Health, also leads the Statistical Genetics Research Group at Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry and serves as Adjunct Professor of Human Genetics at Technical University of Munich. With decades of experience, he has previously held senior roles at the University of Liverpool, Bernhard Nocht Institute, LION Bioscience AG, and Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. Bertram holds a medical degree from the University of Würzburg and advanced qualifications in human genetics from Ludwig-Maximilians-University. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Herman Emminghaus Prize and the Parkinson-Prize Du Pont Pharma.

Customer Insights

• Positive results from human patients in the Ketabon trial can be found here: Ketabon Phase 2 Trial Results.


• Results from a head-to-head trial comparing our prolonged-release oral ketamine formulation with the FDA-approved intranasal spray for Treatment Resistant Depression patients can be found here: Head-to-Head Trial Results.

Investors

https://www.hmnc-brainhealth.com/news/HMNC-Brain-Health-Raises-14-Million-Euro

Competitors

While we value the contributions of everyone in the industry, if we were to highlight competitors based on pipeline and clinical stages, Alto Neuroscience and Douglas Pharmaceuticals would stand out.

Corporate Responsibility

HMNC Brain Health’s key belief is that a truly novel approach is needed in psychiatry. Given the high unmet medical need and insufficient response rates of currently available medications, developing personalized therapies is imperative. HMNC Brain Health’s vision is to pave patient’s personal road to mental health by pioneering precision psychiatry. HMNC Brain Health’s mission is to boost its predictive power, wielding its AI Platform to drive tomorrow’s personalized treatment success in mental health, with the ultimate goal to improve the lives of a large number of patients and thereby reduce the immense individual, societal and economic burden of these diseases.