{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"109727","rtpr_id":"nGNX1jvmwT","ticker":"ATAI","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["ATAI","CMPS","DFTX","JNJ","HELP"],"title":"A CEO With a Proven Track Record of Success in Growing and Scaling Biopharmaceutical Companies Just Appointed CEO at a Clinical-Stage Biotech, Months Before Its Pivotal Phase 3 Readout","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-08-05T14:25:42.149Z","article_body":"NEW YORK, Aug. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USA News Group\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=EVBnQJAQsrz9ukBZrfuPuBjVxM6i3OWBd4MRJKVWg4hKLDKGEf01sBMmQu0kgYoavoxMpwGjsak3drjd-H_UAEfD6hFAvD6jT4o8sPtfAA4=)\nNews Commentary - In biotech, the gap between a promising drug and a\ncommercial success is often bridged by a single thing: the operator who has\ndone it before. Helus Pharma (Nasdaq: HELP) (Cboe CA: HELP), a clinical-stage\ncompany developing novel treatments for depression and anxiety, has just\nbrought in exactly that kind of operator, appointing Michael Halstead, the\nformer President of Intra-Cellular Therapies, as Chief Executive Officer,\neffective immediately. The move lands months before the company's first\npivotal Phase 3 data readout, and it places Helus alongside a cohort of\ncompanies working to modernize psychiatric treatment, from Definium\nTherapeutics (Nasdaq: DFTX) and Compass Pathways (Nasdaq: CMPS) to Johnson &\nJohnson (NYSE: JNJ) and AtaiBeckley (Nasdaq: ATAI).\n\nKey Takeaways\n* A proven commercialization operator takes the helm. Helus Pharma appointed\nMichael Halstead, former President of Intra-Cellular Therapies, as CEO,\neffective immediately, bringing 25 years of industry experience across\nlate-stage development and commercialization.\n* A track record that includes a $14.6 billion exit. At Intra-Cellular,\nHalstead helped transform the company from early-stage clinical development\ninto a fully integrated commercial enterprise, supported the launch of\nCAPLYTA, and led the company's US$14.6 billion sale to Johnson & Johnson in\n2025.\n* The timing is deliberate. The appointment comes as Helus prepares for\ntopline data from APPROACH, the first pivotal Phase 3 study of HLP003 as an\nadjunctive treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), expected in Q4 2026.\n* A late-stage program with regulatory backing. HLP003 is a proprietary novel\nserotonergic agonist that has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from\nthe U.S. FDA for adjunctive MDD, with enrollment complete in APPROACH and\ncontinuing in the second pivotal study, EMBRACE.\n* A broad IP position. Helus reports an intellectual property portfolio of\nmore than 350 patent applications and more than 100 granted patents worldwide\nacross its programs.\nWhy This Hire Matters\n\nHalstead brings 25 years of industry experience, most recently as President of\nIntra-Cellular Therapies, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the\ncompany from an early-stage clinical development organization into a fully\nintegrated commercial biopharmaceutical enterprise. He was instrumental in the\ndevelopment, launch, and commercialization of CAPLYTA (lumateperone), which\nhas received approvals across multiple indications including schizophrenia,\nbipolar depression, and the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder,\nthe exact indication Helus is now pursuing with its lead asset.\n\nHalstead managed multiple equity offerings and led Intra-Cellular's US$14.6\nbillion sale to Johnson & Johnson in 2025. Before Intra-Cellular, he held\nsenior leadership roles at Warner Chilcott, where he oversaw major strategic\ninitiatives including the US$3 billion acquisition of Procter & Gamble's\npharmaceutical business in 2009 and the company's US$8.5 billion sale to\nActavis in 2013. In other words, Helus has hired an executive whose career has\nbeen defined by guiding neuroscience and pharmaceutical companies through\nexactly the late-stage development, infrastructure buildout, and\ncommercialization, and ultimately value-realizing transactions, that Helus is\nnow approaching.\n\nThe company framed the appointment in those terms. “Mr. Halstead's\nleadership and operational experience guiding pharmaceutical companies through\nlate-stage development, infrastructure buildout, and commercialization will be\ninvaluable as we execute against our upcoming HLP003 and HLP004 clinical,\nregulatory, and commercial milestones,” said Eric So, Co-Founder and\nExecutive Chairman of Helus Pharma.\n\nThe Catalyst on the Horizon\n\nWhat makes the timing notable is the catalyst it precedes. Helus is advancing\nHLP003 through the Phase 3 PARADIGM program as an adjunctive treatment for\nMajor Depressive Disorder. Enrollment is complete in APPROACH, the first\npivotal study, with topline data expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, while\nenrollment continues in EMBRACE, the second pivotal study, and participant\nrollover proceeds into EXTEND, the long-term extension study. HLP003 is a\nproprietary novel serotonergic agonist that has received Breakthrough Therapy\nDesignation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the adjunctive\ntreatment of MDD, a designation that may potentially expedite the development\nand review of drugs addressing serious conditions.\n\nFor an incoming CEO, arriving just ahead of a first pivotal readout is a\nmeaningful vote of confidence in the underlying program. Halstead pointed to\nthat program in his own remarks. “I'm honored to join the Helus Pharma team\nat this crucial stage in the Company's evolution,” said Mr. Halstead.\n“HLP003, a potential differentiated new option in the adjunctive treatment\nlandscape for MDD, and HLP004, a compelling short-acting compound in\ndevelopment for generalized anxiety disorder, position Helus Pharma to pursue\na unique approach focused on the outcomes that matter most to patients.”\n\nHe also tied his decision to the clinical data generated to date. “The\nclinical results in the HLP003 program to date suggest the potential to\ntransform the treatment paradigm for MDD,” concluded Mr. Halstead, adding\nthat the company's portfolio of more than 350 patent applications and more\nthan 100 granted patents worldwide provides a solid foundation for continued\ngrowth. As with any investigational program, those statements describe\npotential rather than proven outcomes, and the Q4 2026 topline readout is what\nwill begin to test them.\n\nA Large, Underserved Market\n\nThe opportunity Helus is chasing is defined by scale and by the shortcomings\nof existing options. Major depressive disorder is one of the most common and\ndisabling conditions in the world, and a substantial share of patients do not\nachieve adequate relief from current antidepressants, which is why adjunctive\ntherapies, added on top of a patient's existing treatment, have become a\nstrategically important part of the field. Helus describes its lead asset as a\npotential differentiated new option in precisely that adjunctive landscape,\nand its second compound, HLP004, targets generalized anxiety disorder, another\nlarge and underserved indication.\n\nThat is also why the broader psychiatric-drug sector has drawn intense\ninvestor and strategic interest, including the wave of dealmaking that saw\nlarge pharmaceutical companies pay up for differentiated CNS assets. Helus,\noperating in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, and\nnow led by an executive who helped orchestrate one of the largest such deals,\nis positioning itself squarely within that current. The strategy is coherent,\nbut it remains dependent on clinical outcomes that have not yet been reported.\n\nThe Companies Modernizing Psychiatric Treatment\n\nThe four companies below are referenced solely as market and sector context,\nspan the modern depression and CNS-psychiatry landscape, and are far larger\nand more established than Helus. They are not peers, competitors, or financial\ncomparables of Helus Pharma, and their results are not indicative of Helus's\nprospects. All figures are approximate and subject to change.\n\nDefinium Therapeutics (Nasdaq: DFTX)\n\nDefinium Therapeutics is a late-stage psychiatry company, rebranded from\nMindMed, developing next-generation treatments for psychiatric conditions. Its\nlead candidate DT120, an orally disintegrating tablet, carries FDA\nBreakthrough Therapy Designation for generalized anxiety disorder, with\nmultiple Phase 3 readouts anticipated in 2026, alongside a broader pipeline\nspanning depression and other indications, and it reported a substantial cash\nposition to fund its programs. Definium is one of the closest listed peers to\nHelus, another company advancing novel, mechanistically differentiated CNS\ncandidates through late-stage trials for anxiety and depression, at a larger\nand better-capitalized scale.\n\nCompass Pathways (Nasdaq: CMPS)\n\nCompass Pathways is a mental-health biotechnology company developing COMP360,\na psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression that has received FDA\nBreakthrough Therapy Designation and is advancing through Phase 3, with the\ncompany pursuing a rolling New Drug Application submission and additional\nprograms in other psychiatric conditions. Compass is among the\nfurthest-advanced developers of a novel depression therapy, and it is included\nas a reference for the late-stage end of the next-generation CNS field Helus\nis working within, at a more advanced regulatory stage than Helus has reached.\n\nAtaiBeckley (Nasdaq: ATAI)\n\nAtaiBeckley, formed through the combination of atai Life Sciences and Beckley\nPsytech, develops a portfolio of clinical-stage neuropsychiatric therapies for\nmental-health conditions including treatment-resistant depression, with lead\nprograms carrying Breakthrough Therapy Designation and advancing toward Phase\n3. AtaiBeckley illustrates the multi-asset, platform approach to novel\npsychiatric drug development, and it is referenced as context for the broader\ncohort of companies pursuing mechanistically differentiated treatments for\ndepression and anxiety alongside Helus, on a larger and more diversified\nbasis.\n\nJohnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ)\n\nJohnson & Johnson\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=wJRM9UhQPO09VtjM4vwdD6es5qmR-Ul6bNUy15R-bbKmWQmGT2wlTAh01mOESMEBYHlTMBlPU-Ob3Eg-O9tkIyCWikx0NMEBptfrGOg7aSE=)\nis one of the largest healthcare companies in the world, and in psychiatry it\nmarkets Spravato (esketamine), a novel-mechanism treatment for depression that\nhas become a significant franchise. It is also the acquirer of Intra-Cellular\nTherapies, the company Helus's new CEO helped build and sell, a transaction\nthat underscored the strategic value large pharmaceutical companies place on\ndifferentiated CNS assets. Johnson & Johnson is referenced as the scaled\nincumbent and consolidator in modern psychiatric treatment, a reminder of both\nthe commercial prize and the acquisition appetite that define the space Helus\noperates in.\n\nWhat to Watch\n\nFor Helus, the near-term markers are clear and sequential. The defining one is\nthe Phase 3 APPROACH topline readout expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.\nAround it, watch for continued enrollment progress in EMBRACE, for updates on\nthe HLP004 generalized anxiety program, and for how the new CEO begins to\nshape strategy, infrastructure, and any commercialization or partnering\ngroundwork ahead of potential data. Halstead's arrival suggests the company is\npreparing to operate as a late-stage, potentially commercial enterprise rather\nthan a purely clinical one.\n\nThe backdrop is favorable in the ways that matter: MDD is an enormous,\nunderserved market, adjunctive therapy is a strategically important niche\nwithin it, HLP003 carries Breakthrough Therapy Designation, and the CNS space\nhas attracted both investor enthusiasm and major acquisitions. The cautions\nare equally clear and specific to Helus's stage. It is a clinical-stage\ncompany whose lead asset has not completed its Phase 3 pivotal program, has\nnot been approved, and has not been shown to be safe or effective for its\nintended use; Phase 3 readouts carry real risk, and the sector has seen\nhigh-profile late-stage failures. A proven operator at the helm does not\nchange the biology or guarantee the data. But bringing in an executive with\nHalstead's specific track record, in this indication, at this moment, is a\ndeliberate signal about how Helus intends to approach the pivotal stretch just\nahead, and the Q4 2026 readout is where the thesis meets the evidence.\n\nTrack the Signals Before the Crowd\n\nThe best positioning happens before the crowd catches on. Eagle Eye is a\nreal-time investor signal-intelligence platform that surfaces sentiment\nshifts, news flow, and trending tickers as they form, so you see attention\nbuilding instead of chasing it. Watch it live at eagle-eye.dev\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=F-KbfGD6qkwNTlEx5tgcmRAlQ5juN_Rg1If5_suNVWXnCkvDHTPOx-wkq6kdaSlJa-ML9q9Y3Sc7-r3p0l9DUQ==).\n\nArticle Source:\n\n[1] Helus Pharma, “Helus Pharma Appoints Michael Halstead as Chief Executive\nOfficer,” August 3, 2026.\n\nUSA News Group | info@usanewsgroup.com\n\nDISCLAIMER\n\nNothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial\nadvice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular\nfinancial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed\nas personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor\nbefore making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is\nneither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no\ninvestment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide\ninvestment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any\nindividual with a view toward their individual circumstances. This article is\nbeing distributed for Market Equities Limited, a company incorporated under\nthe laws of Ireland (“MEL”), which wholly owns and operates USA News\nGroup. MEL has been paid a fee for Helus Pharma advertising and digital media\nfrom Creative Direct Marketing Group (“CDMG”). MEL also expects to receive\nfurther compensation as part of an ongoing digital media effort to increase\nvisibility for the company. This compensation constitutes a conflict of\ninterest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding\nthe profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly\nencouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment\ndecision. No further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as\nnotice that all material, including this article, has been reviewed and\napproved on behalf of Helus Pharma by CDMG.\n\nMEL and its owner/operators do not own any shares of Helus Pharma, but reserve\nthe right to buy and sell shares of Helus Pharma at any time without any\nfurther notice commencing immediately and ongoing, in the open market, through\nprivate placements, and/or through other investment vehicles. There may also\nbe third parties who hold shares of Helus Pharma and may liquidate their\nshares, which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock.\n\nWhile all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us\nto be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in\nthis publication is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent\nresearch. Because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as\nexpected, there will likely be differences between any predictions and actual\nresults. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any\ninvestment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a\nhigh degree of risk; you may lose some or all of your investment.\n\nCautionary Note Regarding Clinical, Regulatory, and Forward-Looking\nStatements. Helus Pharma is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. Its\nproduct candidates, including HLP003 and HLP004, are investigational, have not\nbeen approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, or any\nother regulatory authority, and have not been demonstrated to be safe or\neffective for their intended uses. Breakthrough Therapy Designation does not\nguarantee approval or expedited approval. This publication may contain\nforward-looking statements, including statements regarding the timing and\noutcome of the APPROACH, EMBRACE, and EXTEND studies and the PARADIGM program,\nthe Q4 2026 topline readout, the potential of HLP003 and HLP004, the size of\nthe market opportunity, and the company's commercialization and growth\nprospects. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance\nand involve known and unknown risks, including clinical-trial, regulatory,\ncompetitive, commercialization, and financing risks. Clinical results to date\nare not necessarily predictive of future results, and Phase 3 studies may fail\nto meet their endpoints. Statements attributed to company representatives\ndescribe management's views and potential outcomes, not proven results. Helus\nPharma is the commercial operating name of Cybin Inc. Readers should refer to\nthe company's continuous disclosure record, including its filings available\nunder the company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and with the U.S.\nSecurities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar, for a full\ndiscussion of risk factors. Nothing in this article is medical advice or a\nclaim that any Helus product diagnoses, treats, cures, or prevents any disease\nor condition.\n\nCautionary Note Regarding Referenced Companies. References to Definium\nTherapeutics, Compass Pathways, Johnson & Johnson, and AtaiBeckley are\nprovided solely as market and sector context. Those companies are not peers,\ncompetitors, or financial comparables of Helus Pharma, and differ\nsubstantially in size, stage, capitalization, products, pipeline, and business\nmodel. Their products, programs, results, and share performance describe those\ncompanies only, are not indicative of Helus Pharma's prospects or results, and\nmust not be relied upon in evaluating the profiled company. No partnership,\naffiliation, comparison of safety or efficacy, or endorsement is implied.\n\nEagle Eye Disclosure. Eagle Eye is an investor signal-intelligence platform\naffiliated with the publisher of this article, and this reference constitutes\npromotion of an affiliated product. Eagle Eye is not a broker-dealer, and\nnothing in the platform or in this article is financial, investment, tax, or\nlegal advice. Data provided in the platform is for informational purposes only\nand may be delayed. Always do your own research before making any investment\ndecision.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f54e5ac-913c-4cd9-b83b-5ebd616705c2)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX1jvmwT","title":"A CEO With a Proven Track Record of Success in Growing and Scaling Biopharmaceutical Companies Just Appointed CEO at a Clinical-Stage Biotech, Months Before Its Pivotal Phase 3 Readout","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"ATAI","created":"2026-08-05T14:25:42.149Z","tickers":["ATAI","CMPS","DFTX","JNJ","HELP"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"NEW YORK, Aug. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USA News Group\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=EVBnQJAQsrz9ukBZrfuPuBjVxM6i3OWBd4MRJKVWg4hKLDKGEf01sBMmQu0kgYoavoxMpwGjsak3drjd-H_UAEfD6hFAvD6jT4o8sPtfAA4=)\nNews Commentary - In biotech, the gap between a promising drug and a\ncommercial success is often bridged by a single thing: the operator who has\ndone it before. Helus Pharma (Nasdaq: HELP) (Cboe CA: HELP), a clinical-stage\ncompany developing novel treatments for depression and anxiety, has just\nbrought in exactly that kind of operator, appointing Michael Halstead, the\nformer President of Intra-Cellular Therapies, as Chief Executive Officer,\neffective immediately. The move lands months before the company's first\npivotal Phase 3 data readout, and it places Helus alongside a cohort of\ncompanies working to modernize psychiatric treatment, from Definium\nTherapeutics (Nasdaq: DFTX) and Compass Pathways (Nasdaq: CMPS) to Johnson &\nJohnson (NYSE: JNJ) and AtaiBeckley (Nasdaq: ATAI).\n\nKey Takeaways\n* A proven commercialization operator takes the helm. Helus Pharma appointed\nMichael Halstead, former President of Intra-Cellular Therapies, as CEO,\neffective immediately, bringing 25 years of industry experience across\nlate-stage development and commercialization.\n* A track record that includes a $14.6 billion exit. At Intra-Cellular,\nHalstead helped transform the company from early-stage clinical development\ninto a fully integrated commercial enterprise, supported the launch of\nCAPLYTA, and led the company's US$14.6 billion sale to Johnson & Johnson in\n2025.\n* The timing is deliberate. The appointment comes as Helus prepares for\ntopline data from APPROACH, the first pivotal Phase 3 study of HLP003 as an\nadjunctive treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), expected in Q4 2026.\n* A late-stage program with regulatory backing. HLP003 is a proprietary novel\nserotonergic agonist that has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from\nthe U.S. FDA for adjunctive MDD, with enrollment complete in APPROACH and\ncontinuing in the second pivotal study, EMBRACE.\n* A broad IP position. Helus reports an intellectual property portfolio of\nmore than 350 patent applications and more than 100 granted patents worldwide\nacross its programs.\nWhy This Hire Matters\n\nHalstead brings 25 years of industry experience, most recently as President of\nIntra-Cellular Therapies, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the\ncompany from an early-stage clinical development organization into a fully\nintegrated commercial biopharmaceutical enterprise. He was instrumental in the\ndevelopment, launch, and commercialization of CAPLYTA (lumateperone), which\nhas received approvals across multiple indications including schizophrenia,\nbipolar depression, and the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder,\nthe exact indication Helus is now pursuing with its lead asset.\n\nHalstead managed multiple equity offerings and led Intra-Cellular's US$14.6\nbillion sale to Johnson & Johnson in 2025. Before Intra-Cellular, he held\nsenior leadership roles at Warner Chilcott, where he oversaw major strategic\ninitiatives including the US$3 billion acquisition of Procter & Gamble's\npharmaceutical business in 2009 and the company's US$8.5 billion sale to\nActavis in 2013. In other words, Helus has hired an executive whose career has\nbeen defined by guiding neuroscience and pharmaceutical companies through\nexactly the late-stage development, infrastructure buildout, and\ncommercialization, and ultimately value-realizing transactions, that Helus is\nnow approaching.\n\nThe company framed the appointment in those terms. “Mr. Halstead's\nleadership and operational experience guiding pharmaceutical companies through\nlate-stage development, infrastructure buildout, and commercialization will be\ninvaluable as we execute against our upcoming HLP003 and HLP004 clinical,\nregulatory, and commercial milestones,” said Eric So, Co-Founder and\nExecutive Chairman of Helus Pharma.\n\nThe Catalyst on the Horizon\n\nWhat makes the timing notable is the catalyst it precedes. Helus is advancing\nHLP003 through the Phase 3 PARADIGM program as an adjunctive treatment for\nMajor Depressive Disorder. Enrollment is complete in APPROACH, the first\npivotal study, with topline data expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, while\nenrollment continues in EMBRACE, the second pivotal study, and participant\nrollover proceeds into EXTEND, the long-term extension study. HLP003 is a\nproprietary novel serotonergic agonist that has received Breakthrough Therapy\nDesignation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the adjunctive\ntreatment of MDD, a designation that may potentially expedite the development\nand review of drugs addressing serious conditions.\n\nFor an incoming CEO, arriving just ahead of a first pivotal readout is a\nmeaningful vote of confidence in the underlying program. Halstead pointed to\nthat program in his own remarks. “I'm honored to join the Helus Pharma team\nat this crucial stage in the Company's evolution,” said Mr. Halstead.\n“HLP003, a potential differentiated new option in the adjunctive treatment\nlandscape for MDD, and HLP004, a compelling short-acting compound in\ndevelopment for generalized anxiety disorder, position Helus Pharma to pursue\na unique approach focused on the outcomes that matter most to patients.”\n\nHe also tied his decision to the clinical data generated to date. “The\nclinical results in the HLP003 program to date suggest the potential to\ntransform the treatment paradigm for MDD,” concluded Mr. Halstead, adding\nthat the company's portfolio of more than 350 patent applications and more\nthan 100 granted patents worldwide provides a solid foundation for continued\ngrowth. As with any investigational program, those statements describe\npotential rather than proven outcomes, and the Q4 2026 topline readout is what\nwill begin to test them.\n\nA Large, Underserved Market\n\nThe opportunity Helus is chasing is defined by scale and by the shortcomings\nof existing options. Major depressive disorder is one of the most common and\ndisabling conditions in the world, and a substantial share of patients do not\nachieve adequate relief from current antidepressants, which is why adjunctive\ntherapies, added on top of a patient's existing treatment, have become a\nstrategically important part of the field. Helus describes its lead asset as a\npotential differentiated new option in precisely that adjunctive landscape,\nand its second compound, HLP004, targets generalized anxiety disorder, another\nlarge and underserved indication.\n\nThat is also why the broader psychiatric-drug sector has drawn intense\ninvestor and strategic interest, including the wave of dealmaking that saw\nlarge pharmaceutical companies pay up for differentiated CNS assets. Helus,\noperating in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, and\nnow led by an executive who helped orchestrate one of the largest such deals,\nis positioning itself squarely within that current. The strategy is coherent,\nbut it remains dependent on clinical outcomes that have not yet been reported.\n\nThe Companies Modernizing Psychiatric Treatment\n\nThe four companies below are referenced solely as market and sector context,\nspan the modern depression and CNS-psychiatry landscape, and are far larger\nand more established than Helus. They are not peers, competitors, or financial\ncomparables of Helus Pharma, and their results are not indicative of Helus's\nprospects. All figures are approximate and subject to change.\n\nDefinium Therapeutics (Nasdaq: DFTX)\n\nDefinium Therapeutics is a late-stage psychiatry company, rebranded from\nMindMed, developing next-generation treatments for psychiatric conditions. Its\nlead candidate DT120, an orally disintegrating tablet, carries FDA\nBreakthrough Therapy Designation for generalized anxiety disorder, with\nmultiple Phase 3 readouts anticipated in 2026, alongside a broader pipeline\nspanning depression and other indications, and it reported a substantial cash\nposition to fund its programs. Definium is one of the closest listed peers to\nHelus, another company advancing novel, mechanistically differentiated CNS\ncandidates through late-stage trials for anxiety and depression, at a larger\nand better-capitalized scale.\n\nCompass Pathways (Nasdaq: CMPS)\n\nCompass Pathways is a mental-health biotechnology company developing COMP360,\na psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression that has received FDA\nBreakthrough Therapy Designation and is advancing through Phase 3, with the\ncompany pursuing a rolling New Drug Application submission and additional\nprograms in other psychiatric conditions. Compass is among the\nfurthest-advanced developers of a novel depression therapy, and it is included\nas a reference for the late-stage end of the next-generation CNS field Helus\nis working within, at a more advanced regulatory stage than Helus has reached.\n\nAtaiBeckley (Nasdaq: ATAI)\n\nAtaiBeckley, formed through the combination of atai Life Sciences and Beckley\nPsytech, develops a portfolio of clinical-stage neuropsychiatric therapies for\nmental-health conditions including treatment-resistant depression, with lead\nprograms carrying Breakthrough Therapy Designation and advancing toward Phase\n3. AtaiBeckley illustrates the multi-asset, platform approach to novel\npsychiatric drug development, and it is referenced as context for the broader\ncohort of companies pursuing mechanistically differentiated treatments for\ndepression and anxiety alongside Helus, on a larger and more diversified\nbasis.\n\nJohnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ)\n\nJohnson & Johnson\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=wJRM9UhQPO09VtjM4vwdD6es5qmR-Ul6bNUy15R-bbKmWQmGT2wlTAh01mOESMEBYHlTMBlPU-Ob3Eg-O9tkIyCWikx0NMEBptfrGOg7aSE=)\nis one of the largest healthcare companies in the world, and in psychiatry it\nmarkets Spravato (esketamine), a novel-mechanism treatment for depression that\nhas become a significant franchise. It is also the acquirer of Intra-Cellular\nTherapies, the company Helus's new CEO helped build and sell, a transaction\nthat underscored the strategic value large pharmaceutical companies place on\ndifferentiated CNS assets. Johnson & Johnson is referenced as the scaled\nincumbent and consolidator in modern psychiatric treatment, a reminder of both\nthe commercial prize and the acquisition appetite that define the space Helus\noperates in.\n\nWhat to Watch\n\nFor Helus, the near-term markers are clear and sequential. The defining one is\nthe Phase 3 APPROACH topline readout expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.\nAround it, watch for continued enrollment progress in EMBRACE, for updates on\nthe HLP004 generalized anxiety program, and for how the new CEO begins to\nshape strategy, infrastructure, and any commercialization or partnering\ngroundwork ahead of potential data. Halstead's arrival suggests the company is\npreparing to operate as a late-stage, potentially commercial enterprise rather\nthan a purely clinical one.\n\nThe backdrop is favorable in the ways that matter: MDD is an enormous,\nunderserved market, adjunctive therapy is a strategically important niche\nwithin it, HLP003 carries Breakthrough Therapy Designation, and the CNS space\nhas attracted both investor enthusiasm and major acquisitions. The cautions\nare equally clear and specific to Helus's stage. It is a clinical-stage\ncompany whose lead asset has not completed its Phase 3 pivotal program, has\nnot been approved, and has not been shown to be safe or effective for its\nintended use; Phase 3 readouts carry real risk, and the sector has seen\nhigh-profile late-stage failures. A proven operator at the helm does not\nchange the biology or guarantee the data. But bringing in an executive with\nHalstead's specific track record, in this indication, at this moment, is a\ndeliberate signal about how Helus intends to approach the pivotal stretch just\nahead, and the Q4 2026 readout is where the thesis meets the evidence.\n\nTrack the Signals Before the Crowd\n\nThe best positioning happens before the crowd catches on. Eagle Eye is a\nreal-time investor signal-intelligence platform that surfaces sentiment\nshifts, news flow, and trending tickers as they form, so you see attention\nbuilding instead of chasing it. Watch it live at eagle-eye.dev\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=F-KbfGD6qkwNTlEx5tgcmRAlQ5juN_Rg1If5_suNVWXnCkvDHTPOx-wkq6kdaSlJa-ML9q9Y3Sc7-r3p0l9DUQ==).\n\nArticle Source:\n\n[1] Helus Pharma, “Helus Pharma Appoints Michael Halstead as Chief Executive\nOfficer,” August 3, 2026.\n\nUSA News Group | info@usanewsgroup.com\n\nDISCLAIMER\n\nNothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial\nadvice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular\nfinancial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed\nas personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor\nbefore making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is\nneither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no\ninvestment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide\ninvestment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any\nindividual with a view toward their individual circumstances. This article is\nbeing distributed for Market Equities Limited, a company incorporated under\nthe laws of Ireland (“MEL”), which wholly owns and operates USA News\nGroup. MEL has been paid a fee for Helus Pharma advertising and digital media\nfrom Creative Direct Marketing Group (“CDMG”). MEL also expects to receive\nfurther compensation as part of an ongoing digital media effort to increase\nvisibility for the company. This compensation constitutes a conflict of\ninterest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding\nthe profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly\nencouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment\ndecision. No further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as\nnotice that all material, including this article, has been reviewed and\napproved on behalf of Helus Pharma by CDMG.\n\nMEL and its owner/operators do not own any shares of Helus Pharma, but reserve\nthe right to buy and sell shares of Helus Pharma at any time without any\nfurther notice commencing immediately and ongoing, in the open market, through\nprivate placements, and/or through other investment vehicles. There may also\nbe third parties who hold shares of Helus Pharma and may liquidate their\nshares, which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock.\n\nWhile all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us\nto be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in\nthis publication is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent\nresearch. Because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as\nexpected, there will likely be differences between any predictions and actual\nresults. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any\ninvestment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a\nhigh degree of risk; you may lose some or all of your investment.\n\nCautionary Note Regarding Clinical, Regulatory, and Forward-Looking\nStatements. Helus Pharma is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. Its\nproduct candidates, including HLP003 and HLP004, are investigational, have not\nbeen approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, or any\nother regulatory authority, and have not been demonstrated to be safe or\neffective for their intended uses. Breakthrough Therapy Designation does not\nguarantee approval or expedited approval. This publication may contain\nforward-looking statements, including statements regarding the timing and\noutcome of the APPROACH, EMBRACE, and EXTEND studies and the PARADIGM program,\nthe Q4 2026 topline readout, the potential of HLP003 and HLP004, the size of\nthe market opportunity, and the company's commercialization and growth\nprospects. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance\nand involve known and unknown risks, including clinical-trial, regulatory,\ncompetitive, commercialization, and financing risks. Clinical results to date\nare not necessarily predictive of future results, and Phase 3 studies may fail\nto meet their endpoints. Statements attributed to company representatives\ndescribe management's views and potential outcomes, not proven results. Helus\nPharma is the commercial operating name of Cybin Inc. Readers should refer to\nthe company's continuous disclosure record, including its filings available\nunder the company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and with the U.S.\nSecurities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar, for a full\ndiscussion of risk factors. Nothing in this article is medical advice or a\nclaim that any Helus product diagnoses, treats, cures, or prevents any disease\nor condition.\n\nCautionary Note Regarding Referenced Companies. References to Definium\nTherapeutics, Compass Pathways, Johnson & Johnson, and AtaiBeckley are\nprovided solely as market and sector context. Those companies are not peers,\ncompetitors, or financial comparables of Helus Pharma, and differ\nsubstantially in size, stage, capitalization, products, pipeline, and business\nmodel. Their products, programs, results, and share performance describe those\ncompanies only, are not indicative of Helus Pharma's prospects or results, and\nmust not be relied upon in evaluating the profiled company. No partnership,\naffiliation, comparison of safety or efficacy, or endorsement is implied.\n\nEagle Eye Disclosure. Eagle Eye is an investor signal-intelligence platform\naffiliated with the publisher of this article, and this reference constitutes\npromotion of an affiliated product. Eagle Eye is not a broker-dealer, and\nnothing in the platform or in this article is financial, investment, tax, or\nlegal advice. Data provided in the platform is for informational purposes only\nand may be delayed. Always do your own research before making any investment\ndecision.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f54e5ac-913c-4cd9-b83b-5ebd616705c2)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-08-05T14:25:42.207482591Z","server_sent_at_ms":1785939942207},"received_at":"2026-08-05T14:25:42.357Z","source_url":"https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/08/05/3339463/0/en/a-ceo-with-a-proven-track-record-of-success-in-growing-and-scaling-biopharmaceutical-companies-just-appointed-ceo-at-a-clinical-stage-biotech-months-before-its-pivotal-phase-3-read.html"},"analysis":{"id":"98736","press_release_id":"109727","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Biotechnology","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":["Paid advertisement for Helus Pharma","No company-specific news for AtaiBeckley","Disclosures indicate compensation for increased visibility"],"eventType":"other","narrative":"This article is a paid advertisement and news commentary focusing on Helus Pharma (HELP), which has appointed Michael Halstead, former President of Intra-Cellular Therapies, as its new CEO.\n\nAtaiBeckley (ATAI) is mentioned solely within a section titled \"The Companies Modernizing Psychiatric Treatment\" to provide sector context, cited as an example of a multi-asset platform approach alongside peers like Definium Therapeutics and Compass Pathways.\n\nNo specific business developments, financial results, or corporate actions regarding AtaiBeckley are disclosed in this release.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Irrelevant paid advertisement for peer company Helus Pharma."},"keyFigures":null,"quotedText":"AtaiBeckley, formed through the combination of atai Life Sciences and Beckley Psytech, develops a portfolio of clinical-stage neuropsychiatric therapies for mental-health conditions including treatment-resistant depression","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Michael Halstead","role":"CEO of Helus Pharma"},{"name":"Eric So","role":"Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Helus Pharma"}],"products":["CAPLYTA","HLP003","HLP004","Spravato","DT120","COMP360"],"companies":[{"name":"Helus Pharma","ticker":"HELP","relationship":"Subject of advertisement"},{"name":"AtaiBeckley","ticker":"ATAI","relationship":"Mentioned peer"},{"name":"Definium Therapeutics","ticker":"DFTX","relationship":"Mentioned peer"},{"name":"Compass Pathways","ticker":"CMPS","relationship":"Mentioned peer"},{"name":"Johnson & Johnson","ticker":"JNJ","relationship":"Mentioned sector incumbent"},{"name":"Intra-Cellular Therapies","relationship":"Former employer of new Helus CEO"},{"name":"Warner Chilcott","relationship":"Former employer"},{"name":"Actavis","relationship":"Acquirer of Warner Chilcott"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$14.6 billion","context":"Sale of Intra-Cellular Therapies to Johnson & Johnson"},{"amount":"$3 billion","context":"Warner Chilcott acquisition of P&G pharma business"},{"amount":"$8.5 billion","context":"Sale of Warner Chilcott to Actavis"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"The article is a paid advertisement ('News Commentary') regarding Helus Pharma (HELP) and its new CEO appointment. 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