Biography
Joerg is a visionary Neuroscience leader and C-suite executive focused on building agile and productive RnD organizations and delivering innovative medicines to patients.
With a degree in Chemistry, Joerg acquired his Ph.D. in Germany on the synthesis of alkaloids as antimalarial agents.
His professional career started in 1998 at Grünenthal Pharmaceuticals in Germany, where he led preclinical and clinical activities of the marketed analgesic Tapentadol (Nucynta/Palexia). From 2003 to 2006, he served as Head of Medicinal Chemistry at Barcelona-based Laboratórios Esteve. In 2006, Joerg joined AstraZeneca’s CNS/Pain Research Unit in Södertälje, Sweden, as Neuroscience Project Leader and Head of Lead Generation.
In 2012, Joerg moved to the US as Director for Research and Preclinical Sciences within AstraZeneca’s virtual Neuroscience Unit in Boston, and in this role was responsible for pioneering a novel concept of driving Research and Development via increased use of academic and industry collaborative networks. In 2016, Joerg build up the Neuroscience Proof-of-Concept unit for GlaxoSmithKline in Upper Providence, PA, and within three years created an innovative portfolio of clinical assets within Neuroimmunology. In 2018, Joerg joined Grünenthal as SVP of Neuroscience, based in Cambridge, US, and worked on designing and executing on the company’s new R&D organisation, its portfolio, as well as delivering a company-wide Pain disease area strategy. Joerg then built the Grünenthal Pain Innovation Hub in Cambridge, MA from 2019 to 2021.
In November 2021, BIAL appointed Joerg Holenz as R&D General Manager, being based out of the headquarters’ laboratories close to Porto, Portugal.
Throughout his career, Joerg worked predominantly with peripheral and central targets in the Pain and Neuroscience disease areas, where he delivered several SME and New Modality clinical candidates, as well as one marketed analgesic. He has edited, authored or contributed to more than 45 publications, 50 patent applications and several books and book chapters.
In his free time, Joerg enjoys his family and two children, outdoor activities and traveling.