Trethera Appoints World-Renowned ALS Researcher Dr. Merit Cudkowicz to Scientific Advisory Board

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trethera Corporation ("Trethera"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class therapies for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neuroimmune disorders, today announced the appointment of Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, one of the world's leading physician-scientists in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to the Trethera Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Cudkowicz currently serves as Executive Director of the Massachusetts General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, Director of the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Julieanne Dorn Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. She also serves as Principal Investigator of Trethera's ongoing Expanded Access clinical trial evaluating TRE-515 in patients with advanced ALS.

"I am pleased to join Trethera's Scientific Advisory Board and look forward to helping guide the continued development of TRE-515," said Dr. Cudkowicz. "ALS remains a devastating disease with limited therapeutic options, and there continues to be an urgent need to evaluate innovative approaches that may improve outcomes for patients. I am excited to contribute my clinical experience as Trethera advances this promising program."

Dr. Cudkowicz has spent more than two decades advancing therapies for ALS and has led numerous landmark clinical trials that have transformed the field. She co-founded the Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS), launched the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial, and serves as Principal Investigator of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke's NeuroNEXT Clinical Coordination Center. Her work has helped pioneer innovative clinical trial designs that accelerate the evaluation of promising therapies for patients with ALS.

"We are honored to welcome Merit to our Scientific Advisory Board," said Dr. Ken Schultz, Trethera Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "She is widely recognized as one of the world's foremost experts in ALS clinical research and has devoted her career to advancing innovative treatments for patients facing this devastating disease. Her scientific insight and extensive clinical development experience will be invaluable as we continue advancing TRE-515 and expanding our neuroimmune disease programs."

Dr. Cudkowicz earned her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, her medical degree through the Health Sciences and Technology Program at Harvard Medical School, and her master's degree in Clinical Epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Larry Steinman, Professor of Neurology at Stanford University and member of the Trethera Scientific Advisory Board, added, "Merit has been one of the most influential leaders in ALS research for decades. Her contributions have fundamentally changed how therapies are developed and evaluated for patients with ALS. We are delighted to welcome her to the Board, where her expertise will further strengthen the scientific foundation supporting the development of TRE-515."

Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc

About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle function and control. ALS is biologically heterogeneous and has been associated with mutations in more than 20 genes, although most cases are sporadic and not inherited. Emerging evidence suggests that immune dysregulation and neuroinflammation contribute to disease progression. The disease places a profound burden on patients and families, and there remains no cure. Life expectancy following diagnosis is typically two to five years.

Sources: Michaelis T, et al. Nature. 2025;647:970–978. Feldman EL, et al. Lancet. 2022;400(10360):1363–1380. Masrori P, Van Damme P. Eur J Neurol. 2020;27(10):1918–1929.

About Trethera

Trethera is a clinical stage, privately held, biopharmaceutical company dedicated to pioneering the development of novel treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancers. Founded by prominent UCLA scientists, Trethera is led by experienced management and board members. Trethera's innovative approach to targeting nucleotide metabolism led to the development of TRE-515, an orally administered capsule. TRE-515 is a first-in-class clinical stage drug that inhibits deoxycytidine kinase (dCK), the rate-limiting enzyme in the nucleoside salvage pathway, one of two biosynthetic pathways that generate DNA precursors. It is believed that some forms of cancer may be preferentially dependent on the salvage pathway to support tumor growth, and certain autoimmune diseases might also respond to TRE-515 treatment. The FDA has designated TRE-515 a Fast Track drug for prostate cancer and an Orphan Drug for two autoimmune neurologic diseases. Trethera is developing TRE-515 for use as a monotherapy or in combination to precisely target a metabolic vulnerability of cancer or autoimmune diseases that will transform outcomes for patients.

For more information, please visit us at trethera.com or e-mail Investor Relations at ir@trethera.com. You can also follow Trethera on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Institutional Consulting Disclosure
Dr. Cudkowicz provides consulting services to Trethera pursuant to an institutional consulting agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital.  Her participation on the Trethera Scientific Advisory Board is in her individual professional capacity and does not constitute an endorsement by Massachusetts General Hospital, Mass General Brigham, or Harvard Medical School.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Trethera believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are “forward-looking statements,” which may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as "may," "might," "will," "will likely result," "would," "should," "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "continue," "target" or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Although Trethera has a reasonable basis for the forward-looking statements contained herein, Trethera cautions that such statements are based on current expectations about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and factors relating to medical and scientific research, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Trethera’s control, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release. These potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the extent to which development of any novel cancer therapies or therapies for autoimmune diseases succeeds; whether Trethera would obtain the necessary regulatory approvals to commence human trials or commercialize TRE-515 or any novel therapies resulting from such research; Trethera successfully implementing its growth strategy, including that relating to its disease therapies; changes in economic conditions; competition; and risks and uncertainties applicable to the business of Trethera. The statements in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and Trethera does not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Company intends that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ad67bc3c-40c1-402c-82b5-c6ca2b2931ec

Figure 1

Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc