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Lyra Therapeutics Adds Vineeta Belanger, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs

September 17, 2019 Off By BusinessWire

Experienced leader brings clinical expertise as Lyra advances its development program in chronic rhinosinusitis

WATERTOWN, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lyra Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing medicines designed to precisely target ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases, today announced that Vineeta Belanger, Ph.D., will join as the company’s Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs. She brings twenty years of clinical experience in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Belanger joins Lyra at a pivotal time, as the company’s lead drug candidate, LYR-210, progresses through a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

“Vineeta has a proven track record of success in clinical affairs, with direct experience in clinical trial design and execution that will be invaluable to Lyra as we advance LYR-210 for the treatment of CRS. We are delighted to welcome her to our management team,” said Maria Palasis, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Lyra Therapeutics. “Importantly, Vineeta has extensive experience with global clinical studies, across all stages of development, and for a range of therapeutic products. We believe this aspect of her skillset will enable us to broaden Lyra’s development pipeline, helping to underpin the future growth of the company.”

Dr. Belanger has clinical expertise in the development of drugs, medical devices and combination products. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Clinical Affairs for Avedro, Inc. Previously, she held several key positions in clinical research and clinical operations at Ironwood Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in her career, she worked in the clinical organizations of Boston Scientific, NeuroVision, and Alcon. Prior to joining the industry, Dr. Belanger provided patient care as an optometrist. She has authored several publications and abstracts. She holds a doctorate in physiological optics and vision science from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Science degree in optometry from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

“I’m pleased to be joining Lyra as the company advances LYR-210 through a Phase 2 clinical study in patients with CRS, and I am excited to drive the advancement of this lead product as well as future pipeline candidates,” said Dr. Belanger. “I look forward to working together with Lyra’s experienced team and bringing innovative drug candidates for ear, nose and throat diseases to patients in this important and growing therapeutic field.”

About Lyra Therapeutics Lyra Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing medicines designed to precisely target ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases, offering an alternative to conventional treatments or surgeries. The company’s lead drug candidate, LYR-210, offers a novel approach for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by directing anti-inflammatory medicine deep into sinonasal tissues for up to six months of therapy. With proprietary expertise in drug development and materials science, Lyra is applying its proprietary technology platform – comprised of drug administered through a polymeric matrix – with the goal of enabling therapeutic action at the site of inflammation in the sinonasal passages. Lyra Therapeutics is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.lyratherapeutics.com and follow us on LinkedIn.