MINNEAPOLIS– DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: DMAC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for neurological disorders and kidney diseases, announced today the appointment of Kirsten Gruis, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Gruis is a board-certified neurologist with 20 years of experience in both clinical medicine and drug development in large and small biopharmaceutical companies.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Gruis to the DiaMedica team as Chief Medical Officer,” said Rick Pauls, CEO of DiaMedica. “Dr. Gruis has deep experience in neurology drug development and regulatory strategy which will be critical to the company as we advance ReMEDy2 towards pivotal data for DM199 in acute ischemic stroke. She is also a strong cultural fit with her career long focus on innovation and improving the lives of patients.”
“The clinical data DiaMedica has accumulated thus far show the enormous potential of DM199, with its novel mechanistic path, to become the first new pharmaceutical in 25 years to meaningfully improve outcomes for stroke patients,” said Dr. Gruis. “When I saw the DM199 data supporting the potential for not only improved recovery after a stroke but also reduction in the rate of recurrent strokes, I got excited about joining a team that can change the standard of care and improve the lives of millions of patients and their families around the world.”
Prior to joining DiaMedica, Dr. Gruis served as Chief Medical Officer for Edgewise Therapeutics, Neuromuscular Franchise Head at Roche, Chief Medical Officer of Agilis Biotherapeutics, Inc. and a number of additional senior clinical development roles at companies including Wave Life Sciences Ltd., Idera Pharmaceutics, Inc., Alynylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Pfizer Inc. Prior to her time at Pfizer, Dr. Gruis was Associate Professor at SUNY Upstate and Assistant/Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, where she was a practicing neurologist for nearly ten years. Dr. Gruis earned her Medical Doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Medicine, has a Master of Science in Clinical Trial Design and Statistical Analysis from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Iowa State University.
