MADRID and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — February 12, 2026 — Leads & Copy —
Oryzon Genomics, S.A. (ISIN Code: ES0167733015, ORY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and global leader in epigenetics, has appointed Rolando Gutierrez-Esteinou, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, CNS Programs.
Dr. Gutierrez-Esteinou, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, brings over 20 years of leadership experience in neuroscience and psychiatry-focused drug development programs. His expertise includes late-stage clinical execution, regulatory strategy, and market approval pathways.
Carlos Buesa, Chief Executive Officer of Oryzon, stated that Dr. Gutierrez-Esteinou’s clinical expertise in psychiatry, late-stage CNS development experience, and regulatory leadership will be invaluable as the company prepares to move vafidemstat into Phase III clinical development for agitation and aggression (A/A) in borderline personality disorder (BPD). The company also plans to expand its clinical development in A/A in autism spectrum disorder and in negative symptoms of schizophrenia, with a path toward future regulatory approval.
Most recently, Dr. Gutierrez-Esteinou was Chief Medical Officer at Atai Life Sciences, where he oversaw a portfolio of clinical-stage CNS programs. He has also held senior leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Novartis, as well as in biotech and CRO environments. His experience spans clinical development from Phase I through Phase IV across neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, addiction, and cognitive impairment.
Dr. Gutierrez-Esteinou has contributed to multiple late-stage development programs and regulatory submissions, including supplemental New Drug Applications (sNDAs) and label expansions for CNS therapies such as Risperdal® (risperidone) and Abilify® (aripiprazole). He has interacted with global health authorities, including the FDA, EMA, and PMDA. He completed his psychiatry residency at Harvard Medical School and held research fellowships at Harvard/McLean Hospital and the NIH.
Dr. Gutierrez-Esteinou said it is a privilege to join Oryzon as Chief Medical Officer and help advance vafidemstat, the only LSD1 inhibitor in clinical development for CNS indications, for the treatment of agitation and aggression in patients with borderline personality disorder. He added that he came to Oryzon because they think differently about the pathophysiology of CNS disorders and the use of epigenetic approaches to seek safer, more effective treatments for people with BPD and other psychiatric disorders.
Oryzon also expressed gratitude to Dr. Michael Ropacki for leading the vafidemstat program as CMO–CNS over the past six years.
Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, Oryzon is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and a European leader in epigenetics, focusing on personalized medicine for CNS disorders and oncology. The company’s team is based in Barcelona, Boston, and New Jersey. Oryzon’s clinical portfolio includes vafidemstat, its lead CNS program, and iadademstat, its oncology/hematology program. The Company also operates a platform for biomarker identification and target validation across malignant and neurological diseases.
Source: Oryzon Genomics, S.A.
