SAN FRANCISCO, December 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Synosia Therapeutics today announced the appointment of Antony Blanc, Ph.D., as the company's new chief business officer, effective immediately.

Dr Blanc, who will serve as head of Synosia's office in Basel, Switzerland, joins from Syngenta, where he created and led the biopharmaceuticals business unit. A molecular biologist by training and an experienced biotech entrepreneur, Dr. Blanc helped biotech and pharma clients with R&D, commercial and strategy issues as associate partner with the business consultants McKinsey & Company.

"With a strong entrepreneurial flair in biotech and expertise in both science and business, Antony Blanc brings together the skills we need to lead our increasingly important presence in Switzerland," said Synosia Chief Executive Officer and President Dr. Ian Massey. "Our three pharmaceutical partners are based in Basel and this appointment will give us the leadership we need in Europe to meet our ambitious goals for 2008, including the start of four phase II trials."

"Synosia has a broad clinical-stage portfolio with several advanced molecules, highly experienced leaders, a well-aligned and strong investor base and a grounding in both the US and in Switzerland. I look forward to building on this promising combination to create a leading CNS-focused specialty pharma company" said Blanc.

Antony Blanc replaces Herve Girsault M.B.A., who will remain on Synosia's board of directors and continue to act as a key business advisor to the company.

About Synosia Therapeutics

Synosia Therapeutics develops and intends to commercialize innovative and clinically differentiated products for unmet medical needs in psychiatry and neurology. The privately-owned company is developing six clinical-stage compounds acquired through key partnerships with Novartis, Roche and Syngenta, including two marketed drugs that will be tested in new indications, extending their reach into new therapeutic areas with combined sales potential in excess of US$2.5 billion. Synosia has offices in Basel, Switzerland, and South San Francisco, CA.

Synosia Therapeutics has raised US$32.5 million funding from Versant Ventures (Menlo Park, CA), Abingworth Management (London), 5AM Ventures (Menlo Park, CA) and Novo A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark). For more information, visit http://www.synosia.com.

Contact Synosia Therapeutics: In Europe: Julie Walters at Media Speak, Tel: +44(0)1494-753-990, Mobile +44(0)775-3626967, julie.walters@mediaspeak.com; In US: Michele Parisi at Media Speak, Tel: +1-925-864-5028, michele.parisi@mediaspeak.com