Former Allergan CEO joins longevity biotech company as it moves towards clinical-stage development.
Eos SENOLYTIX has announced the appointment of Brent Saunders as Chairman of its Advisory Board; Saunders, best known for his tenure as CEO of Allergan, where he led the development and commercialization of Botox – one of the most commercially successful aging-related pharmaceutical products to date – brings decades of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical sector to the Miami-based biotech company.
Longevity.Technology: Saunders’ appointment comes at a pivotal time for Eos SENOLYTIX as it prepares to transition from preclinical research to first-in-human trials; the company’s approach to gerotherapeutics, focusing on novel peptide candidates PTC-2105 and PTC-2107, signals a growing confidence in the scientific, commercial and safe potential of targeting aging mechanisms directly. Bringing an executive with extensive regulatory and commercialization expertise into a leadership role is not only a strong signal of intent but also a reflection of the increasing alignment between biotech startups and established pharmaceutical strategies. As the longevity field gains traction, Saunders’ presence on the advisory board may help bridge the gap between emerging science and broader industry adoption, a critical step in ensuring that gerotherapeutics transition successfully from experimental promise to clinical and commercial viability.
Kevin Slawin, MD, Chairman, Founder, and CEO of Eos SENOLYTIX, emphasized the significance of Saunders’ experience in advancing aging-related therapeutics. “We are excited to welcome Brent to Eos’s Advisory Board as Chairman,” he said. “His extensive experience in leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies through critical growth phases will be invaluable as we advance our lead gerotherapeutic peptides, PTC-2105 and PTC-2107, into clinical development to address key clinical indications and outcomes associated with aging that we believe are validated, achievable, clinically important and FDA approvable.
“Brent brings exceptional knowledge and a successful track record in developing Botox, perhaps the most popular aging-related product developed to date, to our exciting pipeline of novel gerotherapeutic peptides in an attempt to build on that success, helping to lead our programs into breathtaking and unprecedented territory.”
Saunders has held leadership positions at several multinational healthcare companies, including serving as Chairman, President and CEO of Allergan until its $63 billion acquisition by AbbVie in 2020. His current board positions include chairing Bausch + Lomb Corporation and The Beauty Health Company, alongside roles at Cambrian BioPharma, ARS Pharmaceuticals, OcuTerra and Arena AI, among others. His appointment at Eos SENOLYTIX suggests a growing industry acknowledgment of gerotherapeutics as a viable pharmaceutical frontier.
Expressing enthusiasm for his new role, Saunders noted his interest in longevity medicine and its commercial potential. “I’ve always had a keen interest in the broader field of longevity medicine,” he said. “With Eos’s unique approach combining efficacy and safety, I am excited to contribute my experience in advising the Company on its commercial and regulatory strategy to help transition regulators and Big Pharma into the changing landscape around longevity medicine and gerotherapeutics.
“While Botox has become one of the most successful anti-aging products ever developed, I see the potential for gerotherapeutics like Eos’s PTC-2105 and PTC-2107 to be even greater.”
Eos SENOLYTIX is developing peptide-based therapeutics targeting the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, ΔΨm), a mechanism linked to both senescence and mitochondrial function decline with age. The company believes its proprietary peptides can selectively eliminate senescent cells and enhance mitochondrial efficiency without adverse effects, a dual mechanism that could position its compounds as a new class of gerotherapeutics with potential applications in multiple age-related diseases.
Alongside Saunders, Eos SENOLYTIX has also appointed Jodi Akin, MSN, as Acting Chief, Clinical Strategy and Regulatory Affairs. Akin, a veteran executive in the life sciences sector, previously led global clinical affairs at Edwards Lifesciences, where she was instrumental in establishing new standards in heart valve therapy and clinical trial methodologies. Commenting on her new role, Akin stated: “With the projected world population aged 60 and above expected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050, breakthrough therapeutics addressing aging-related diseases have become a global health and economic imperative. With Dr Slawin’s vision and passion for breakthrough therapies, Eos SENOLYTIX is taking on these challenges with a bold vision to develop two clinical candidates in three separate aging-related clinical indications.”
Eos SENOLYTIX plans to secure $50 million in Series A financing to fund the initial clinical trials of its lead candidates, PTC-2105 and PTC-2107. The company aims to move these candidates into first-in-human studies in a two-stage process encompassing three Phase II studies focused on clinically significant aging-related conditions. The outcome of these trials will be a key determinant of the future role of gerotherapeutics in mainstream medicine and their potential adoption by regulatory agencies and major pharmaceutical players.
As the longevity sector matures, Saunders’ involvement with Eos SENOLYTIX speaks to a broader shift in the perception of aging-related therapeutics – from niche scientific inquiry to a legitimate, commercially viable domain of pharmaceutical development. Eos is hopeful its peptide candidates will translate their preclinical success into real-world results, and the strategic alignment of scientific expertise, regulatory acumen and industry leadership suggests that Eos SENOLYTIX is positioning itself as a significant player in the evolving field of gerotherapeutics.
Dr Kevin Slawin is speaking at Founders Longevity Forum Singapore this Friday – CLICK HERE for our deep dive into the science behind Eos SENOLYTIX’s peptide platform.
