Adial Pharmaceuticals Appoints David Rubenstein as Chief Scientist

With IND-enabling studies underway and first-in-human trials targeted for 2027, Adial Pharmaceuticals has appointed David Rubenstein, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Scientist, a hire that brings the only documented track record of taking an AhR agonist through FDA approval directly into the AT177 program for ulcerative colitis.

Rubenstein's appointment is notable for its mechanistic specificity. As Chief Scientific Officer at Dermavant Sciences, he led tapinarof (VTAMA® cream 1%) from preclinical characterization through FDA approval for plaque psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, establishing AhR agonism as a clinically validated mechanism in immune-mediated inflammatory disease. That regulatory and translational experience now applies to a structurally different challenge: colon-targeted delivery with limited systemic exposure, which is the central design objective for AT177.

AT177 is a fully synthetic, oral prodrug of indirubin, identified as among the most potent AhR agonists in indigo naturalis, a botanical extract with documented clinical activity in UC but without FDA approval. In preclinical studies, AT177 demonstrated localized colonic AhR activation with limited systemic exposure, a profile the program will need to substantiate through IND-enabling nonclinical packages before entering the clinic. Rubenstein will oversee that work, including studies characterizing AT177's mechanism and colon selectivity relative to other agents in the UC development landscape.

Adial acquired Azora Therapeutics in June 2026, making AT177 its lead program. The company is a Nasdaq-listed biopharmaceutical focused on serious inflammatory diseases. Rubenstein previously held senior preclinical development roles at Stiefel and GSK, and holds an M.D. and Ph.D. from Duke University.

For regulatory affairs and nonclinical teams tracking AhR agonist IND strategies, the AT177 program's progression through 2027 will represent an early test of whether tapinarof's approval precedent translates to a gastrointestinal indication with distinct tissue-targeting and systemic-exposure requirements.

Source: Adial Pharmaceuticals Inc. via GlobeNewswire, October 16, 2026.