Professor Hans-Juergen Woerle, MD, PhD | Fact Sheet

Profile

Physician-scientist, board-certified endocrinologist and senior R&D executive with experience across the full drug-development continuum, from early translational science through Phase 1 to 4 trials, registration and life-cycle management. Has led global development programmes and large-scale external innovation alliances in diabetes, obesity, and rare metabolic and gastrointestinal diseases, across both originator innovation and follow-on development.

Advises boards, CEOs and investors at the pivotal milestones, first-in-human, proof-of-concept, dose-finding, Phase 2/3 transition and filing, shaping integrated development plans, rigorous trial designs and value-driven target product profiles. Background spans the GLP-1 and incretin field in depth, alongside direct experience bringing a marketed insulin follow-on to patients through a dedicated regulatory pathway. Combines strategic judgement with execution discipline, translating strategy into operational plans deliverable under real-world constraints.

Current Role

Founder and Managing Director of HJW Consulting Sàrl (Cully, Switzerland), advising biotech and pharmaceutical companies, boards and investors as an independent senior R&D advisor and non-executive director.

Currently advising companies active across the following focus areas:

Cardiometabolic disease GLP-1 / incretins Obesity Type 1 diabetes HFpEF / HFrEF Cardio-renal cross-talk CKD Rare kidney disease Inflammation Microbiome therapeutics

Current & Recent Mandates

Standing Senior Advisor

DiogenX SAS, Marseille, Senior Advisor to the Board & CEO. First-in-class β-cell regeneration in Type 1 diabetes; IND-enabling, first-in-human 2026. since Dec 2025
NodThera, Aberdeen / Cambridge, Senior Advisor to the executive team. Oral, brain-penetrant NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors; Phase 2/3 inflection. since Feb 2026

Non-Executive Director

MRM Health, Non-Executive Director & Chair, R&D Committee. Clinical-stage microbiome platform. since Jun 2026
Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB), NED, Science & Clinical Development Committee. Vowst® oversight. Feb 2025–May 2026
Enterome Pharmaceuticals, Paris, NED. Immunomodulatory oncology and inflammation. 2020–2025
Aimmune / Nestlé Health Science UK R&D, NED. 2023–2025
Cerecin Pharmaceuticals, NED. Ketone based improvement in cognition. Jun 2020–Oct 2024

Executive Experience

Nestlé Health Science 2018–2026

SVP, Chief Scientific & Medical Officer

Scaled R&D to pharma grade. Closed the deals. Shipped two FDA firsts.

Built a pharma-grade R&D capability supporting a multi-billion-dollar evidence-based portfolio
R&D lead on the Aimmune integration: Palforzia®, the first FDA-approved oral peanut desensitisation
Scientific co-lead of the Nestlé–Seres collaboration: Vowst®, the first FDA-approved oral microbiome therapy
Ran 50+ scientific and clinical due diligences; led or shaped the Aimmune and Zenpep® acquisitions and the Enterome and Codexis R&D collaborations
Oversight Committee of the Nestlé Health Science / Flagship Pioneering R&D and venture-creation partnership (USD 200M)

Boehringer Ingelheim 2007–2017

Global VP Medicine, Cardio-Renal-Metabolism

Changed how the industry designs diabetes trials.

Spearheaded the development of Jardiance® (empagliflozin) and Trajenta® (linagliptin); inventor on core patents
Designed EMPA-REG OUTCOME, the first trial to demonstrate a cardiovascular-mortality reduction in Type 2 diabetes, Galenus-Preis 2022
Led and defended the FDA Advisory Committee submission that won the first-ever CV-mortality claim for a diabetes medicine (FDA record)
Argued the clinical value of empagliflozin and linagliptin in person before Germany’s Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), one of the world’s toughest pricing and reimbursement authorities (G-BA record)
Eight global diabetes launches across the US, EU, Japan and China
Founding Steering Committee member of the Boehringer Ingelheim–Eli Lilly diabetes alliance (>USD 10 billion), guiding joint development strategy and portfolio governance
Follow-on development of the Lilly–BI insulin glargine programme (Basaglar® / Abasaglar®), registered via the US 505(b)(2) NDA and the EU EMA biosimilar pathway

Academic & Clinical Foundation 1988–2007

Physician-Scientist, Endocrinology & Metabolism

Research Fellow, Rochester (Gerich lab) · LMU & TU Munich

Early mechanistic work on renal gluconeogenesis and hepatic insulin resistance, the scientific groundwork for the SGLT2 inhibitor class
Foundational research on GLP-1 and amylin physiology
Habilitation, LMU Munich, 2008; board-certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology / Diabetes
Visiting Professor, Université de Lausanne; Adjunct Professor, University of Ulm
Began as a registered nurse, four years at the bedside before medical school

Expertise

GLP-1 and incretin-based therapeutics across the metabolic franchise, including GLP-1/glucagon dual-agonist and amylin assets advanced to Phase 3 through diligence and in-licensing
Follow-on and biosimilar-adjacent development, insulin glargine (Basaglar® / Abasaglar®), via the US 505(b)(2) NDA and the EU EMA biosimilar pathway
Cardiometabolic and metabolic disease: obesity, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, CKD, heart failure, rare metabolic and GI diseases
Microbiome- and enzyme-based therapeutics; evidence-based nutrition and translational physiology
End-to-end drug-development strategy, Phase 1 to 4
Regulatory strategy and FDA / EMA leadership interactions, including follow-on and life-cycle pathways
Market access and payer negotiations, including argumentation before the German Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), Berlin

Core Advisory Capabilities

Structuring and governing large-scale R&D alliances
Clinical and regulatory strategy (FDA / EMA), follow-on and life-cycle pathways
Translational and Phase 1 towards proof of concept
Strategy towards approval and competitive label enhancements
Negotiations with regulators
Asset prioritisation and portfolio governance
Scientific and technical due diligence
Executive and R&D leadership coaching and team development

Scientific Impact

280+ publications, 56,000+ citations, h-index 92, i10-index 257 (Google Scholar); foundational GLP-1, HFpEF/HFrEF, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic papers
Landmark NEJM publications on cardiovascular mortality and CKD progression

Endorsements

"A rare combination of medical and business judgement, integrity, and a distinctive talent for developing others. He has left a lasting mark on NHSc and decisively strengthened its reputation as a leader in evidence-based nutrition and medical innovation."

Greg Behar, CEO, Nestlé Health Science

"A unique combination of scientific rigour, strategic vision and the proven ability to bridge academia, clinical medicine and global industry. My highest recommendation for any senior leadership role in academia, industry or public health."

Prof. Patrick Aebischer, Former President, EPFL; Board member, Nestlé

Professor Hans-Juergen Woerle