Dr Hazem Ahmed
Postdoctoral Clinical Development Fellow at Novartis AG / Cofounder of Nemosia AG
Dr Hazem Ahmed
Dr Hazem Ahmed
About
Ahmed is a Postdoctoral Clinical Development Fellow at Novartis AG and a Cofounder of Nemosia AG. He holds a PhD in Neuroimaging from the ETH Zurich.
Current research
The PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) encompasses a cluster of hereditary disorders characterized by aberrant tissue overgrowth in diverse anatomical regions, resulting from specific alterations (mutations) in the PIK3CA gene. This gene plays a pivotal role in orchestrating the synthesis of a protein that modulates pivotal cellular processes such as growth, division, and viability. Within this spectrum, a wide array of disorders manifests, with varying degrees of symptom overlap among them. In 2022, FDA approved Novartis Vijoice® (alpelisib) as first and only treatment for patients with severe manifestations of PROS under the accelerated approval scheme. Ahmed is part of the clinical team contributing to the clinical development of alpelisib in PROS patients. In addition, Ahmed is developing 18F-labelled probes to image a subtype (GluN2B) of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in the brain using positron emission tomography (PET). In healthy individuals, GluN2B-NMDARs liaise higher cognitive functions, including the intricate processes of learning and memory. Contrarily, these receptors play a key role in neurodegeneration in patients. Developing a GluN2B-NMDAR PET tracer has proven to be an enigma that has stumped the global scientific community for over two decades. Having characterized the most promising GluN2B- NMDAR PET radiotracers in rodents and non-human primates, Ahmed cofounded Nemosia, a startup that is on a steadfast journey towards validating these probes in patients, and potentially triggering landmark breakthroughs in AD therapeutic approaches.
Future research vision
Ahmed's keen interest lies in harnessing the power positron emission tomography (PET) and artificial intelligence (AI) to advance the frontier of therapeutic innovation, with a particular focus on the realm of neurodegenerative diseases.
Key publications

Ahmed, H et al. Structure-Affinity Relationships of 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine and 6,7,8,9-Tetrahydro-5H-benzo[7]annulen-7-amine Analogues and the Discovery of a Radiofluorinated 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine Congener for Imaging GluN2B Subunit- Containing N-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptors. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2019.

Ahmed, H et al. Preclinical Development of 18F-OF-NB1 for Imaging GluN2B-Containing N- Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptors and Its Utility as a Biomarker for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 2021.

Ahmed, H et al. Evaluation of (rac)-, (R)-, and (S)-18F-OF-NB1 for Imaging GluN2B Subunit- Containing N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptors in Nonhuman Primates. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 2022.

Ahmed, H et al. Development and Validation of [3H]OF-NB1 for Preclinical Assessment of GluN1/2B Candidate Drugs. Pharmaceuticals, 2022.

Rischka, L et al. First-in-Humans Brain PET Imaging of the GluN2B-Containing N-methyl-d- aspartate Receptor with (R)-11C-Me-NB1. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 2022.

Key awards

Innovator Under 35 Europe, MIT Technology Reviews.

Alavi-Mandell Punication Award, Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

First prize of the Radiopharmaceutical Science Council Young Investigator session, Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Chemistry Travel Award, Swiss Academy of Sciences & Swiss Chemical Society.

Best Presentation Award, German Society for Nuclear Medicine Conference.

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