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Mario Alberto Accardi PhD, President and founder of Centessa’s Orexin Program, appointed Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors

BOSTON and LONDON, Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: CNTA), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Mario Alberto Accardi PhD, President and founder of Centessa’s Orexin Program, as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board, effective January 1, 2026. Dr. Accardi will succeed Saurabh Saha MD PhD, who will step down from his position as CEO and a member of the Board, effective January 1, 2026. Dr. Saha will be appointed advisor to the CEO.

“This leadership transition underscores Centessa’s strategic evolution from an R&D driven start-up with a diversified early-stage pipeline to an organization focused on advancing a pure-play orexin portfolio positioned at the forefront of this rapidly emerging therapeutic class,” said Francesco De Rubertis PhD, Chair of Centessa’s Board. “This strategic focus has enabled a robust pipeline of potential best-in-class OX2R agonists for a broad range of neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as earlier-stage efforts targeting differentiated orexin pharmacology. As Centessa advances its pipeline into multiple neuroscience indications with significant milestones planned for 2026, the Board is committed to ensuring the Company has the specialized leadership needed to unlock its full potential. In close alignment with Saurabh, we determined that Mario is best positioned to lead the Company into this next chapter, bringing a deep understanding of orexin biology and a long-standing vision that underpins our strategy. The Board thanks Saurabh for his outstanding and vital contributions in building Centessa’s strong foundation. His leadership in guiding the Company from its inception through critical development milestones, shaping strategic portfolio priorities, and assembling a top-tier neuroscience team has enabled Centessa to concentrate its resources on orexin therapeutics, one of the most promising areas in neuroscience.”

“Leading Centessa from start-up through its transformation to an orexin-focused company has been a privilege,” said Dr. Saha. “Together, we built what we believe is a world class organization with an industry leading orexin franchise. With Centessa well-positioned for its next chapter, I believe now is the appropriate time for a transition in leadership. Along with the Board, I am confident that Mario, the principal architect of our OX2R agonist program, is the right leader to further advance Centessa’s pipeline and strategy, and I look forward to working with him to ensure a smooth transition.”

“OX2R agonists represent one of the most compelling growth opportunities in neuroscience, and Centessa’s leading orexin franchise is well-positioned to capitalize on this potential,” said Dr. Accardi. “ORX750, our most advanced OX2R agonist, has already demonstrated a potential best-in-class profile for narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, with a registrational program expected to initiate in Q1 2026. In parallel, we are advancing additional, novel OX2R agonists, including ORX142 and ORX489, targeting neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric indications with key milestones expected in 2026. I’m thrilled to step into the CEO role and join Centessa’s Board at this exciting time. Together with the team, I look forward to advancing our multi-asset orexin strategy aimed at extending our orexin leadership beyond the rare hypersomnias and into multiple high-value neuroscience indications and unlocking the full potential of our pipeline for patients and all our stakeholders.”

As President of Centessa’s Orexin Program, Dr. Accardi has been responsible for leading the advancement of the orexin pipeline, which has become the full focus of the Company. Prior to Centessa, he was founder and CEO of Orexia Therapeutics, a neuroscience company harnessing advanced structural biology technologies to discover and develop orexin agonists for narcolepsy and other sleep-wake disorders. At Orexia, he successfully raised a €40M Series A, established multiple strategic partnerships, and led the company through its successful acquisition by Centessa in 2021. Dr. Accardi holds a Postgraduate in Genomic Medicine, a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and a First-Class Honours MEng Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London.