Samir Ounzain
CEO and Co-founder, HAYA Therapeutics
Meet Samir Ounzain
Samir focuses on a new area of drug development focused on the regulatory genome, previously known as “the Dark Genome”. He was the first to publish how the regulatory genome controls key biological functions in the diseased heart – and identified a way to change it – leading to the formation of HAYA Therapeutics.
Through HAYA, Samir has helped develop a platform to identify long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that control the regulatory genome – “the software of the cell”– and thereby develop medicines capable of reprogramming sick cells into healthy ones.
With pharma signing the first lncRNA deals in 2024, HAYA’s $1 billion deal with Eli Lilly to discover new lncRNA targets in obesity and related metabolic conditions marked the company’s biggest deal to date. The company’s pipeline includes lncRNA candidates to treat heart disease and cancer.
“I'm driven to see us scale and translate our biology to really make a difference. The vision is to create a fully integrated company that stands alongside industry pioneers, redefining the future of medicine.”