Georgia based Inhibikase Therapeutics, Inc. has elected Dr Peter Mueller of Vertex Pharmaceuticals to the Board of Directors of Inhibikase Therapeutics, Inc.

Dr Mueller joined Vertex Pharmaceuticals in 2003 and currently serves as the executive vice president, Global Research & Development and chief scientific officer. Dr Mueller is also driving corporate development at Vertex through the creation of interdisciplinary networks of innovation. These networks are comprised of a series of partnerships with external companies and scientists who interface with Vertex Research and Development to collaborate in a fundamentally different way to stimulate product innovation and development.

Prior to joining Vertex, Dr Mueller was the senior vice president for Research and Development of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. While at Boehringer, Dr Mueller was responsible for the development of all drug candidates of the company's worldwide portfolio in North and South America, Canada and Japan, beginning in 1997. He also led research programs in the areas of immunology, inflammation, cardiovascular disease and gene therapy on a global basis. During his time with Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr Mueller oversaw the discovery of numerous development candidates, held several positions in basic research, medicinal chemistry and management in different centers of Boehringer Ingelheim worldwide.

“I'm excited to join the Board of Directors of Inhibikase Therapeutics. Inhibikase is clearly a leader in the field of host targeted antibacterials and antivirals. Their systematic approach towards the understanding of host - pathogen interactions and the development of host directed anti-infective therapies is both socially important and scientifically fascinating. It offers the potential to change the way we treat infectious diseases in the future,” noted Dr Mueller upon his acceptance of the appointment.

Dr Mueller joins the following Board members: Dr Stephen Fesik, Orrin H Ingram II Chair in Cancer Research at Vanderbilt University and former vice-president for Cancer Research, Abbott Laboratories; Dr Steven Gilman, executive vice president and chief scientific officer of Cubist Pharmaceuticals; Lisa Evren, vice-president and treasurer, Talisman-Energy; Dr Milton Werner, president and CEO; and strategic advisor David Gryska, former CFO of Celgene.

“We are fortunate to add Dr Mueller to the Inhibikase Therapeutics Board.  Dr Mueller's successful leadership of both the Incivek and Kalydeco approvals will bring a wealth of additional experience into Inhibikase as the Company transitions from pre-clinical to clinical development,” said company president and CEO Dr Milton Werner. “The Board is comprised of leaders in research, development and finance whose insights will be of tremendous value as we build an innovative company and a novel treatment approach for infectious disease.”

Inhibikase Therapeutics is developing treatments for orphan indications arising from polyomaviruses, such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), BK-virus associated nephropathy (PVAN), fungal and bacterial pneumonias as well as medical countermeasures for biodefense.