Helus Pharma appoints former Intra-Cellular executives

New York and Toronto - Helus Pharma, a company listed on the NASDAQ, has named two former Intra-Cellular Therapies executives to key positions within the organization. Regina Donohue has been appointed as Chief People Officer, while Suresh Durgam, M.D., has been added to the company's Scientific Advisory Board. Donohue's previous role as Chief Human Resources Officer at Intra-Cellular involved building the company's human resources infrastructure as it expanded to over 1,000 employees.

She also transitioned Intra-Cellular from clinical to commercial stages before it was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in April 2025. Prior to Intra-Cellular, Donohue helped establish LEO Pharma's U.S. subsidiary and served as interim Global Head of Human Resources. Durgam, who served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Intra-Cellular, oversaw clinical development, regulatory affairs, and medical affairs.

He played a crucial role in securing FDA approvals for CAPLYTA in various indications, such as schizophrenia, bipolar depression, and major depressive disorder. Durgam has also published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and more than 200 abstracts and posters. Helus Pharma is currently developing two novel serotonergic agonists, HLP003 and HLP004, in clinical trials for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, respectively.

The company's recent appointments are aimed at preparing for the potential commercialization of these programs.