Quetzal Therapeutics Debuts with Expert Leadership, High-Impact Pipeline and $50 Million of Committed Capital

CHICAGO, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quetzal Therapeutics, a newly formed biopharmaceutical company, announced its official launch today with $50 million of committed capital. Founded to address urgent unmet needs in rare and life-threatening diseases, Quetzal brings together a team of seasoned executives, scientific pioneers, and biotech & pharmaceutical veterans committed to delivering transformative therapies to patients around the world.

At the core of Quetzal’s mission is a belief that cutting-edge science, guided by proven leadership, can redefine what’s possible in treatment for conditions like Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (“APL”) and invasive infections. The company has formed around a multi-asset pipeline, initially including:

• QTX-2101: A novel oral arsenic trioxide therapy for the treatment of APL expected to enter Phase III clinical trials by late 2025, supported by encouraging comparative pharmacokinetic data from a Phase 1b trial sponsored by Syros Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• QTX-2102, a next-generation antifungal and antiparasitic therapy in preclinical development, designed to improve efficacy while minimizing toxicity.

Built on Leadership Excellence
Quetzal is led by an executive team with deep expertise in drug development, clinical strategy, and operational execution. “Our team was brought together by a shared conviction: that patients with rare diseases deserve the same urgency and innovation as those with more common conditions,” said Usman Ahmed, CEO. “Quetzal Therapeutics is built to deliver on that promise with the right science, the right strategy, and the right people.”

Usman Ahmed, CEO & Chairman – A proven leader with over two decades of leadership in pharmaceuticals and start-up innovation. During his tenure at Nexus Pharmaceuticals, Usman led the execution of complex transactions, spearheaded operational improvements, and championed cost efficiencies in the highly specialized and challenging field of specialty and generic injectables. 

Dr. Sridhar Desikan, Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer – An industry veteran with 28 years of experience in NCE and generics development. Sridhar began his career at Novartis Pharmaceuticals and subsequently worked at DuPont Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dr. Reddy’s, and most recently at Nexus Pharmaceuticals as Chief Scientific Officer. Sridhar holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and has accreditations from Harvard Medical School’s HMX Pro program.

Sara Mathews, Vice President Program Leadership – With nearly 15 years of experience in the biotech industry, Sara is a seasoned asset leader with a proven track record of bringing cross-functional teams together and leading novel oncology therapeutics through global clinical programs from IND filing through late-stage development, filing preparation, and commercial launch planning.

Christina Liwski, General Counsel & CHRO – With over a decade of diverse and sophisticated legal experience, Christina brings deep legal acumen to the team. Christina’s experience spans multiple practice areas, including transactions and litigation. She most recently served as Assistant General Counsel at Nexus Pharmaceuticals, LLC and is admitted to practice in Illinois, Massachusetts, and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Guided by an Accomplished Board of Directors
The company’s Board of Directors features industry leaders with a track record of building, funding, and guiding successful companies:

Aman Ahmed – With nearly a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Aman brings deep expertise in sales operations, DEA and FDA regulatory compliance, international sales, and therapeutic portfolio management. 

Dr. Jonathan Cheng – Dr. Jonathan Cheng is a physician-scientist and oncology drug development expert with a distinguished career across both industry and academia. As Chief Medical Officer at Systimmune, he leads the clinical development of a diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics, including innovative antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and the company’s first-in-class EGFR-HER3 bispecific ADC currently in Phase 3 trials.

Todd Chermak, R.Ph., Ph.D – Todd Chermak is a life sciences executive with 30 years of experience spanning the biopharmaceutical, diagnostics, and nutrition industries. He currently serves as Senior Vice President and Global Business Head of Immunology and Proteomics at CellCarta.

Mike Warmuth – Mike Warmuth is currently working on various Boards: for profit, academic, and not-for-profit. From 2018 to 2023 Mr. Warmuth worked for EW Healthcare as an Operating Partner in their New York office. Prior to EW, Mr. Warmuth spent 30 years at Abbott in various senior executive capacities, where he led multiple divisions and business units.

Strategic Talent Acquisition Partnership
Quetzal Therapeutics proudly acknowledges the role of Heidrick & Struggles, a premier global leadership advisory firm, in identifying and recruiting Dr. Jonathan Cheng to the company’s Board of Directors. Their expertise and commitment to excellence were instrumental in securing a highly respected thought leader whose insight will help shape Quetzal’s long-term scientific and clinical strategy.

For more information, please visit: www.quetzaltx.com
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