Repairing Membranes to Rescue Mitochondria in Degenerative Diseases

Amporin Pharmaceuticals AG

About Amporin

Amporin Pharmaceuticals AG is a Swiss biotech company founded in Basel in 2024 to develop a new class of small-molecule drugs that target toxic membrane pores formed by misfolded protein oligomers. By protecting and repairing vital cellular membranes, rescuing mitochondria, and restoring cellular function and homeostasis, Amporin aims to develop transformative treatments that slow or halt disease progression while enabling rapid functional recovery in multiple degenerative diseases associated with protein misfolding and aggregation, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Type 2 diabetes, ALS, Huntington’s disease, and many others.
The company's lead program is focused on Parkinson’s disease, with additional programs in Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 diabetes, and plans to develop a longer-term pipeline spanning several other major degenerative diseases.
Amporin was awarded 3rd place in the Venture.ch Swiss National Startup Competition, passed the final stage of Venture Kick, and was selected as a Venture Leader Biotech to represent Switzerland’s leading biotech startups in 2025.

Mission, Vision and Values

Our mission is to establish toxic membrane pores as a new class of therapeutic targets and deliver the first oral pore-targeting therapies that slow or halt disease progression and enable rapid functional recovery in multiple degenerative diseases associated with protein misfolding and aggregation, starting with Parkinson's disease.
Our vision is to transform the treatment of six major degenerative diseases with simple oral pore-targeting therapies that help patients preserve and restore daily functioning, maintain independence, and live better, longer lives.
Our values are to challenge the status quo, explore the unknown, think big, aim high, seek the truth, fail cheap, and learn fast.

Management Team

Amporin is led by an experienced team of neuroscience, drug discovery, preclinical and clinical development leaders with decades of experience across big pharmaceutical companies, biotech startups, business consulting, and venture capital.
The company was founded in 2024 by Kelvin Stott, Hervé Schaffhauser, and Daniel Umbricht, who bring more than 80 years of collective R&D leadership experience in neuroscience, CNS drug discovery, translational medicine, preclinical and clinical drug development, and R&D portfolio management.
Together, the management team is committed to advancing a new generation of pore-targeting therapies that will transform the lives of patients with degenerative diseases.
Kelvin Stott PhD – CEO and Cofounder
  • Senior R&D portfolio management executive, scientist, inventor, and biotech entrepreneur
  • >25 years in Pharma (Novartis, Merck Serono), biotech (CSL, Sensyne, Senexis), consulting (McKinsey, PwC, Quantelium) and venture capital (Inventages)
  • Former Founder and CSO at Senexis (targeting degenerative protein misfolding diseases)
  • Former Research Fellow and PhD at Cambridge with Nobel laureate Max Perutz
Hervé Schaffhauser PhD – CSO and Cofounder
  • Experienced in vitro neuropharmacologist and translational neuroscience leader
  • >25 years in Pharma (Roche, Merck) and biotech (Coave, Versameb, Preciphos, Cephalon)
  • Expert in CNS drug discovery, assay and preclinical drug development
  • Led discovery and development of CNS drugs from target validation into Phase 1 trials
  • Former Director Translational Neuroscience at Coave, PhD at Louis Pasteur, Post-doc at Emory
Prof Daniel Umbricht MD – CMO and Cofounder
  • Senior translational medicine expert and clinical development leader in neuroscience
  • >30 years in Pharma (Roche, Novartis), biotech (Autifony, Gilgamesh), clinical practice (Univ. Zurich, Long Island JMC, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, etc.) and consulting (Xperimed)
  • Former Global Head of Translational Medicine in Neuroscience at Roche
  • Former Associate Professor of Psychiatry and MD at University of Zurich
RJ Tesi MD – Board Member
  • Specialist in CNS, inflammation, immunology and longevity
  • >25 years in surgery, research, teaching and strategic development roles in Pharma & Biotech
  • Former President and CEO at INmune Bio, focused on neuro-inflammation in Alzheimer’s
  • Former SVP at Sangstat Medical, EVP Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at Cellerant
  • Founded several biotechs, with senior development and commercial leadership roles in each
Torben Skarsfeldt PhD – Board Advisor
  • Specialist in CNS and Biopharmaceuticals
  • 17 years in research & discovery + 13 years in international business development
  • Former CEO of multiple biotech ventures, including Pharma Guidance and Phlogo
  • Former CNS Project Director, BD&L leader, and Supervisory Board Member at Lundbeck
  • Co-inventor of antipsychotic drug Serdolect (sertindole), marketed in 15 countries

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