Scenic Biotech Appoints Roland W. Bürli Chief Scientific Officer

Scenic Biotech, a pioneer in modifier therapies for severe diseases, appointed Roland W. Bürli, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), effective September 1, 2025. 

At Scenic, Bürli will oversee the company’s scientific strategy and guide the advancement of the pipeline of first-in-class modifier therapies addressing neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases.

Bürli brings over 25 years of experience in drug development and has held senior leadership roles across pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. He has an extensive track record of advancing preclinical programs from early discovery stages through preclinical development into clinical evaluation. 

His leadership and scientific expertise span multiple therapeutic areas, including neurodegenerative diseases, with demonstrated success in building R&D organizations, and in his recent biotech roles, he was instrumental in fundraising. 

Bürli joins Scenic Biotech after establishing the discovery platform at Codify Therapeutics following its inception in 2022. Before Codify, he was VP of Drug Discovery at Cerevance, where he built and led a multidisciplinary team, helped secure Series B financing, and advanced multiple small-molecule programs, including CVN293, which completed Phase 1 clinical trials. 

Earlier in his career, he held senior scientific roles at AstraZeneca, BioFocus, Amgen, and GeneSoft, contributing to the discovery and development of candidates in CNS, inflammation, hematology, and anti-infectives. 

“Roland has amassed a wealth of leadership experience in drug discovery, spanning various biotech environments, with deep expertise in developing small-molecule therapeutics that address a range of therapeutic areas,” said Oscar Izeboud, CEO of Scenic Biotech. “His appointment further strengthens our ability to accelerate the expansion and maturation of our pipeline and drive our lead program toward clinical evaluation. Roland’s contributions will play a pivotal role in maximizing the potential of our modifier therapies to make a meaningful impact in how we treat severe disorders.”