ProNovo Therapeutics, leveraging emerging science and cutting-edge technology, to develop novel, precision therapeutics to address urgent unmet needs in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder and Schizophrenia.
ProNovo is committed to transforming neuropsychiatric care by addressing significant unmet medical needs through a de-risked, precision medicine strategy.
We target emerging therapeutic pathways and integrate cutting-edge science with a robust understanding of genetic susceptibility, disease pathophysiology, mechanisms of classic and breakthrough therapeutics, and prognostic biomarkers to develop novel, high-impact treatments.
A novel mechanism-based, first-in-class opportunity for depression.
An emerging mechanism-based, best-in-class opportunity for schizophrenia.
April 15, 2025
ProNovo announced the closing of its Seed financing round to support its preclinical programs and exploratory science initiatives. The round was led by K2 Venture, with participation from 3E Bioventures Capital, Gaorong Ventures, and JLS Fund.
This funding marks a significant milestone as the company moves toward clinical development of treatments for depression and schizophrenia.
We’re always looking for passionate and talented individuals to join our mission-driven team.
If you’re interested in making a meaningful impact in the biotech space, we’d love to hear from you.
👉 Contact us here to learn more about current and future opportunities.
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Dr. Guang Chen is the founder and former President of ProNovo Therapeutics and currently serves as a Director on the Board and as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). The name ProNovo—short for “pro-novelty”—reflects the company’s dedication to delivering novel and precise therapies that address urgent and significant unmet needs in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Dr. Chen brings over 35 years of distinguished research experience in molecular pathophysiology and therapeutic mechanisms, with recognized expertise in identifying and validating novel drug targets and targeting candidate compounds in the field of neuropsychiatric disorders. He received his medical degree from Peking University Health Science Center, followed by residency and postgraduate training in psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health, Peking University. He completed his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, where he later served as Chief of Molecular Neurotherapeutics in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program. Before founding ProNovo, Dr. Chen was the Scientific Director of Translational Research in Neuropsychiatry and Neuroscience at Janssen R&D in San Diego, California.
While at Janssen, he proposed the development of esketamine—the S-enantiomer of racemic ketamine—as a novel mechanistic antidepressant. SPRAVATO®, an esketamine nasal spray, was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2019 for treatment-resistant depression and in 2020 for major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation or behavior.
Dr. Xiaohu Deng is Co-Founder and CEO of ProNovo Therapeutics, a venture-backed biotechnology company focused on developing precision therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders.
Dr. Deng brings over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D, with deep expertise in small molecule drug development across oncology, immunology, and CNS indications. Prior to founding ProNovo, he held senior leadership positions at several innovative biotech companies, including Ventyx Biosciences (VP, Technical Operations & Quality Assurance), Vividion Therapeutics (Sr. VP, Technical Operations), Viracta Therapeutics (Sr. VP, Product Development), and Kura Oncology/Wellspring Biosciences (Sr. Director, Head of CMC). He has led global technical operations teams through all stages of development, from preclinical to Phase III clinical trials.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Deng worked at Johnson & Johnson, where he contributed to process R&D, CRO management, and project management on drug discovery and preclinical development.
Dr. Deng holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Emory University, and an M.S. in physical chemistry and a B.S. in chemistry from Fudan University. Dr. Deng has more than 40 journal publications, a book chapter and 18 published patents to his credit.
Prof. Scott Thompson, a is Co-Founder and Chair of Scientific Advisory Board of ProNovo Therapeutics. He graduated from Cornell University in 1979 with a B.S. in Biology and a concentration in Neurobiology. From 1979-1981, he worked in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Robertson in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine. He performed his doctoral studies in the laboratory of Dr. David Prince in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University and received his Ph. D. in 1986. Dr. Thompson was then a Postdoctoral Fellow in the labs of Prof. Beat Gahwiler in Zurich, Switzerland, and Dr. Robert Wong, then at Columbia University. In 1990, Dr. Thompson returned to the University of Zurich, Switzerland, as an Assistant Professor at the Brain Research Institute. He completed his Habilitation in 1993 and was promoted to Associate Professor. In January, 1998, Prof. Thompson joined the Department of Physiology of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, where he received tenure in 2002 and was Chair from 2011-2022. He is currently a Professor and Director of the Center for Novel Therapeutics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry.Â