Helus Pharma announced the appointment of Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall to its Board of Directors and as Chair of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Committee. Dr. Lewis-Hall is a pioneering physician and biopharmaceutical executive with more than 40 years of experience spanning clinical care, research, academia, corporate leadership, and public health advocacy. She began her medical career as a practicing psychiatrist, focusing on the impact of mental illness on families and communities.
She held senior leadership roles across the biopharmaceutical industry, including serving for more than a decade on Pfizer’s Executive Leadership Team as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. In that role, she led a global medical organization operating in more than 125 countries and supporting a broad portfolio of medicines and vaccines. She subsequently served as Chief Patient Officer, advancing patient engagement, inclusion, and health equity initiatives across the enterprise. During her tenure, she also helped lead the spinout of SpringWorks Therapeutics and served on its Board of Directors, guiding the company through regulatory approvals and its evolution into a commercial-stage organization prior to its acquisition by Merck KGaA for approximately $3.4 billion.
Leadership at Helus
As Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee, Dr. Lewis-Hall will provide leadership in scientific, clinical, and regulatory governance across Helus’ portfolio, advising on discovery opportunities, clinical development strategy, and regulatory pathways to support pipeline advancement. As a member of the Board of Directors, she will contribute to corporate governance and long-term strategic oversight, helping ensure that patient outcomes, clinical rigor, and disciplined decision-making remain central to the Company’s growth strategy.
Helus Pharma is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing novel serotonergic agonists (NSAs) for serious mental health conditions. The company is currently developing HLP003, a proprietary NSA in Phase 3 clinical development for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder that has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA, and HLP004, a proprietary NSA in Phase 2 for generalized anxiety disorder.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/24/3243447/0/en/Helus-Pharma-Appoints-Former-Pfizer-Chief-Medical-Officer-Dr-Freda-Lewis-Hall-to-Board-of-Directors-Chair-of-the-Scientific-Advisory-Committee.html