MBX Biosciences Appoints Steve Hoerter As CEO And Chairman, Names John Smither CFO

MBX Biosciences, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing precision peptide therapies for endocrine and metabolic disorders, has announced a series of leadership changes aimed at supporting the company's next phase of growth. The appointments, approved by the Board of Directors, are effective immediately.

Steve Hoerter has been named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MBX Biosciences. He previously served as Executive Chairman of the Board and succeeds Kent Hawryluk, who has stepped down from his roles as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors. Alongside this transition, the Board has appointed John Smither as the company's Chief Financial Officer after he had served as Interim CFO since March 2026.

Commenting on the leadership transition, Hoerter expressed appreciation for Hawryluk's contributions to the company over the past six years. As one of MBX's co-founders, Hawryluk played a key role in building the organization from its early stages into a pre-commercial biotechnology company with a growing pipeline of precision peptide therapies. During his leadership, MBX successfully completed its initial public offering (IPO), strengthened shareholder value, and established a talented team focused on advancing innovative treatments for endocrine and metabolic diseases.

Looking ahead, Hoerter said the company remains focused on its mission of improving the lives of patients affected by endocrine and metabolic disorders. He noted that MBX is entering an important stage of development and that the leadership team will continue working closely with the Board to maintain operational continuity while executing the company's long-term strategic plans.

The company also reaffirmed that it remains on track to achieve three significant milestones during the second half of 2026. These include the initiation of a Phase 3 clinical trial for canvuparatide in patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism, the selection of a GLP-1/GIP/GCGR triple agonist candidate for obesity, and the release of the highly anticipated 12-week multiple ascending dose clinical data for MBX 4291. These upcoming developments are expected to play an important role in advancing the company's clinical pipeline and future commercialization efforts.

Hoerter joined MBX's Board of Directors in April 2025 and was appointed Executive Chairman in November 2025. He brings extensive leadership experience in building and growing commercial-stage biotechnology companies. Before joining MBX, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, where he successfully led the company's transition from a research and development organization into a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with operations across the United States and Europe. He remained in that role until Deciphera was acquired by Ono Pharmaceutical in 2024.

John Smither's appointment as Chief Financial Officer reflects the company's confidence in his financial and strategic leadership. Having already served as Interim CFO, he will continue overseeing MBX's finance operations while supporting its long-term business objectives. Smither has more than 25 years of experience across the biopharmaceutical industry and has held senior financial leadership positions at several biotechnology companies. Most recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Arcutis Biotherapeutics, where he led the company's successful IPO as well as four follow-on financing rounds. Earlier in his career, he also served as CFO at Sienna Biopharmaceuticals, UNITY Biotechnology, and Kythera Biopharmaceuticals.

Speaking about his new role, Smither said he is excited to work alongside Hoerter and the broader MBX leadership team as the company continues implementing its strategic plan. He expressed confidence in the company's strong business foundation and emphasized the importance of disciplined execution, responsible capital allocation, and continued investment in advancing MBX's pipeline toward commercialization. He added that the company remains committed to creating long-term value for both patients and shareholders.

MBX Biosciences stated that additional details regarding these executive leadership changes will be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K, which will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).