THERAXEN

The Visionaries Behind The Company

Meet the pioneering scientists who are redefining the boundaries of molecular therapeutics through their groundbreaking work in xeno-nucleic acids.

Our Founders

Philippe Marlière

Founder & Chief Scientific Officer

Philippe Marlière is a pioneering French scientist and inventor who has been at the forefront of xenobiology for decades, and is a recognized figure in the field of synthetic life and xeno-nucleic acids.

Marlière is best known for his pioneering work in engineering microorganisms with synthetic genetic codes, including the full replacement of a nucleic acid with a non-natural analogue in an experimental lineage of the bacterium E. coli. His 2009 manifesto on xenobiology has profoundly shaped the field, promoting the artificiality of synthetic life forms as a means of understanding and preserving natural ecosystems. He co-authored the seminal paper that introduced the term "xeno-nucleic acid" (XNA), fundamentally transforming molecular therapeutics.

Piet Herdewijn

Founder & Chief Chemistry Officer

Piet Herdewijn is a distinguished chemist and professor at the Rega Institute for Medical Research at KU Leuven, Belgium. He is an internationally recognized expert in medicinal chemistry and synthetic nucleic acids, with decades of groundbreaking research in the design and synthesis of unnatural nucleic acid analogues.

Herdewijn's expertise in modifying the chemical composition of sugar moieties in nucleic acids has been instrumental in advancing the field of xeno-nucleic acids. As Editor of Current Protocols in Nucleic Acid Chemistry, he continues to shape the scientific discourse around novel nucleic acid architectures. His collaboration with Marlière resulted in the landmark 2009 paper that formally introduced XNA terminology and concepts, establishing the theoretical foundation for a new generation of therapeutic molecules.

A Shared Vision

Philippe Marlière and Piet Herdewijn share a profound conviction: that the future of medicine lies in transcending the limitations of nature's genetic alphabet. Their collaborative vision brought together synthetic biology, medicinal chemistry, and visionary thinking to create Theraxen—a company dedicated to transforming xeno-nucleic acids from scientific curiosity into life-changing therapeutic reality.