Valencia – November 04, 2026 -- ARTHEx Biotech, a clinical-stage RNA therapeutics developer, has appointed Christian (Chris) Freitag, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, adding more than 20 years of clinical development experience to a pipeline led by ATX-01 for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1).
Freitag arrives from CMO roles at Azafaros and Dynacure
Freitag most recently served as Chief Medical Officer at Azafaros, which develops treatments for rare genetic disorders. Before that, he was CMO at Dynacure, where he was responsible for medical and regulatory strategy, including clinical development of the company's lead investigational therapy for centronuclear myopathies.
Earlier, he led clinical research and development at Debiopharm International, overseeing programs from Phase 1 through Phase 3. He held senior roles at BTG plc, including responsibility for global clinical development, and was Vice President of Global Clinical Development and Innovation at Shire. He began his industry career at Hoffmann-La Roche in pharmacovigilance and medical affairs. He earned his medical degree at Kiel University in Germany.
ATX-01 holds FDA Fast Track Designation in DM1
ATX-01 is ARTHEx's lead investigational RNA therapeutic for DM1, a rare, progressive neuromuscular disorder with no approved disease-modifying therapies. The program is designed to address the underlying molecular pathology through a dual mechanism of action and has received Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is advancing in the Phase I/IIa ArthemiR trial. ARTHEx is also evaluating ATX-01 for myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2).
BOOST-ON platform targets muscle, heart and brain
ARTHEx's proprietary BOOST-ON platform pairs selective oligonucleotides with optimized tissue delivery to reach skeletal muscle, heart and brain. Previously published preclinical data showed functional muscle improvement in a DM1 model. New preclinical data highlight effects in the central nervous system.
CEO Frédéric Legros said Freitag's leadership will be valuable as the company advances ATX-01 and expands its RNA pipeline from BOOST-ON. Freitag said ARTHEx's RNA approach and its commitment to the DM1 community offer "a compelling opportunity" to translate science into new treatment options.