Neurotrope, Inc., a company focused on developing drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, announced that it has appointed Dr. Susanne Wilke, PhD as chief executive officer.

Dr. Wilke brings significant leadership, sector and investing experience to Neurotrope based upon her work at leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies including Hoffman La Roche, Amgen, and Forest Labs. Dr. Wilke also served as a Kaufman Fellow at Schroder Ventures Life Sciences, a leading international venture capital firm, and was an investment principal at NGN Capital. We believe that she has a track record of identifying biotechnology companies with unique and promising drug candidates and then bringing them to public markets in order to access the depth of capital needed to develop clinical stage assets.

Dr. Wilke holds a dual degree doctorate in both organic chemistry and biochemistry, with an emphasis on drug development, from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also earned her MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Dr. Wilke commented, "Neurotrope's lead drug bryostatin, as well as related platform compounds, have demonstrated their multi-modal efficacy, in preclinical models, to induce the growth of new synaptic networks in degenerating brain tissue by activating PKC epsilon. It was demonstrated in these models that PKC epsilon appears to drive synaptogenesis via growth factors in the brain such as BDNF, IGF-1 and NGF. At the same time, the bryostatin and analogs seem to prevent amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles." Dr. Wilke continued, "The same multi-modal efficacy has been demonstrated for Fragile X Syndrome mental retardation in preclinical models. Going forward, we continue to build a strong team and are constructing a comprehensive business plan that will attempt to develop bryostatin, and the PKC epsilon activating platform, to potentially treat Alzheimer's disease and other areas of high unmet medical need such as Fragile X Syndrome and Rett Syndrome."

Dr. Alkon, chief scientific officer and a co-founder of Neurotrope stated, "Working with Dr. Wilke, first as a consultant and then as a board member during the past year, I have found her input very insightful.  She has applicable and relevant experience integrating scientific understanding with commercial and financial understanding and setting strategic clinical, corporate and financial goals. Her background and network will be invaluable in helping Neurotrope reach the key milestones necessary to take the company to the next level. We are actively engaged in an ongoing phase 2 clinical study for Alzheimer's disease that we expect, upon completion, will expand into follow-on clinical trials. We are also preparing to start clinical trials on new programs such as Fragile X Syndrome. I believe this is a very exciting time to be involved with the company."