APPOINTMENTS: Apellis, Araim, Ascendis, Chronos, Intrexon and Proteostasis

Chrono Therapeutics Inc., a private biotech company focused on ageing diseases, brain and nervous system disorders, has named Drs. Fraser Murray and Timothy Schulz-Utermoehl vice presidents of pre-clinical development. The pair join Chronos from Polleo Pharma, a UK biotech start-up company they co-founded, and will be responsible for three preclinical research programs recently acquired by Chronos from Shire PLC – these include a dopamine active transporter inhibitor program in multiple sclerosis fatigue and the company's orexin 1 antagonist program in addictive behaviors. Both Murray and Schulz-Utermoehl have previously held leadership roles at Shire plc, AstraZeneca PLC and Merck & Co. Inc. Prior to founding Polleo Pharma Murray was senior director and head of discovery biology for Shire Speciality Pharmaceuticals; and Schulz-Utermoehl was a director within the exploratory projects department for Shire.

Apellis Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutic compounds for the treatment of autoimmune diseases based upon complement immunotherapy, has appointed Dr. Robert Kim chief medical officer. Kim will help the company optimize its drug development strategy as its clinical programs progress toward late-stage clinical testing