About

About

ENCUE is a Northwestern spinout based on Prof. Moskal’s 30 years of pioneering work in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders and a deep experience in multiple innovative modalities in drug discovery has led to the development of six molecules currently in Phase 2/3 clinicals. Prof. Moskal’s team has recently been focused on IGF2R receptor as a target for novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders. They are developing the next generation of drugs that will restore synaptic health and normal cognition in neuro-degenerating brains.

Prof. Joseph Moskal
Ph.D.

Founder, ENCUE’s Chairman

Alicia Loffler
Ph.D.

Co-founder, ENCUE’s CEO

Jeffrey Burgdorf
Ph.D.

Co-Founder

Edward Chandler
MBA

Co-Founder and Advisor

M. Amin Khan
Ph.D.

Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, Medicinal Chemistry

Brian McCormack
MBA

Co-Founder and Advisor

Ronald Burch
Ph.D., MD

Senior Advisor, Clinical Research and Development

Peter Penzes
Ph.D.

Senior Advisor, Research and Mechanisms of Learning

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Joseph Moskal, Ph.D.

Founder and Chairman

Joe is also a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Falk Center for Molecular Therapeutics at Northwestern. He is world-renowned for his work on NMDA and neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric drug discovery; he has authored hundreds of publications and patents. Joe has extensive experience in drug discovery and entrepreneurship. He was the founder and CSO of Naurex (sold to $1.7B Allergan), Aptynix IPO > $1B, and inventor of Zelquistinel (oral) and Apimostinel(injectable), and has drugs in clinical development at Gate Neuroscience. Dr. Moskal is a pioneer in the NMDA receptor field and holds hundreds of patents.

Alicia Löffler, Ph.D

Co-founder, ENCUE’s CEO

Alicia brings more than 25 years of experience in biotech and entrepreneurship. She served as the founding Executive Director of Northwestern’s Innovation and New Ventures Office, Executive Director of the Center for Biotechnology at the Kellogg School of Management, and Director of the Northwestern Translational Science Center for Innovation. In 2015, she was named Associate Provost of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Associate Vice-President for Research where she oversaw translational, transactional, commercialization, and venture activities at Northwestern. Alicia also supervised the management of Northwestern’s inventions, licenses, patents, and startups. Alicia is an advisor on multiple profit and non-profit boards for biotech/medical device organizations and continues teaching at Kellogg.

Jeffrey Burgdorf, Ph.D.

Co-Founder

Jeff is also a Research Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Associate Director of the Falk Center for Molecular Therapeutics at Northwestern. Jeff has extensive experience in neuroscience discovery, pharmacology, and translational biomarker work and is a pioneer in IGF receptors. He served in leadership research and drug development roles at Naurex, Aptynix, and Gate Neuroscience. Jeff is the author of multiple publications and the lead inventor of many patents in the CNS field.

Edward Chandler, MBA

Co-Founder and Advisor

Ed is a founder and managing director of Portage Venture Partners, which manages the Portage, DFJ Portage, and Graystone Venture Funds. Before forming Portage and Graystone, he was a founder and the managing principal of Prairie Capital. Ed has served as a director of multiple tech, energy, biotech, and entertainment companies. Ed started his career at the Boston Consulting Group.

M. Amin Khan, Ph.D.

Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, Medicinal Chemistry

Amin brings over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. He was a senior scientist at Elan, Gliatech, and others. Amin discovered and developed multiple novel CNS molecules that entered human clinical trials, including Naurex’s 2nd-generation series of partial agonists of the NMDA receptor. Amin was vice president of chemistry research and development at Naurex and vice president of research and chemistry at Aptynix.

Brian McCormack, MBA

Co-Founder and Advisor

Brian is the founder of McCormack Capital, LLC, managing $420 million, and a prominent investor in Illinois startups, including successes like Echo Global Logistics, Sentry Technology, Tempus, and Groupon, the fastest-growing billion-dollar company in 2008. Brian founded InnerWorkings, now one of the world’s largest printing firms, and co-founded Cresco Labs, a pioneering cannabis company with a market cap exceeding $4 billion. Brian serves on the Board of Rush Health Systems Board, contributing to outstanding patient care, education, and healthcare innovation. Brian led Maryville Academy, the largest orphanage in Illinois, demonstrating his commitment to philanthropy from 2008 to 2018. Since 2023, he has served as a Director at NAMI (National Association for Mental Illness), contributing to mental health advocacy and support.

Ronald Burch, Ph.D., MD

Senior Advisor, Clinical Research and Development

Ron brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He has led 20 IND submissions, from which seven products have become marketed, and two are currently in phase 3 clinical trials. Ron is the Chief Medical Officer of Gate Neurosciences. Previously, he was the Director of Pain and inflammation at Nova Pharmaceutical and Head of US Biosciences at Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, where he led the CNS therapeutic area. Ron was also founder and CEO of AlgoRx and co-founder and CMO of Naurex.

Peter Penzes, Ph.D.

Senior Advisor, Research and Mechanisms of Learning

Peter is the Ruth and Evelyn Dunbar Professor of Neuroscience, Pharmacology, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he also serves as the Director of the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. Additionally, he is the Director of the NIMH-funded Silvio E. Conte Center at Northwestern.  Dr. Penzes earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from SUNY at Buffalo and completed postdoctoral training in neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.  His research focuses on the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying synaptic structural plasticity in the brain and their contributions to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Using a multidisciplinary, multi-level, and integrative approach, his laboratory aims to develop therapeutic strategies targeting synapse remodeling for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.  Dr. Penzes has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health and various non-governmental organizations. His work has been published in over 100 peer-reviewed articles.