Ambrose Healthcare, an emerging bio-pharmaceutical company focused on transforming the management of rare diseases through therapeutics and AI-powered diagnostics, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Hazel Jones as Chief Operating Officer (COO). In her new role, Hazel will lead operational strategy and execution across Ambrose, bringing her extensive leadership experience in healthcare innovation to the forefront of Ambrose’s rare disease mission.
Hazel joins Ambrose Healthcare following a distinguished career spanning over 20 years in senior operational and partnership roles working across biotech and pharmaceutical organisations. With a track record for driving discovery and development, organisational transformation and championing patient-centred approaches, she most recently served as CEO at Enhanc3D Genetics, leading the successful rollout of its proprietary 3D multi-omics technology platform. Prior to that Hazel was Chief of Staff, Oncology R&D, Astra Zeneca and before that held senior positions in Cambridge Antibody Technology (acquired by AZ), Cancer Research UK and MedImmune (acquired by Takeda).“We are delighted to welcome Hazel to the executive team,” said Toby Wilson Waterworth, Chief Executive Officer of Ambrose Healthcare. “Her deep operational excellence, collaborative leadership style, and unwavering dedication to science excellence make her the ideal person to help steer Ambrose’s next chapter of growth and innovation.”
Commenting on her new role, Hazel said: “I’m excited to join such a forward-thinking organisation at a time when healthcare needs fresh thinking and fast-track delivery models. The company’s mission to address rare disease care through targeted data-driven medicine deeply resonates with my passion for impactful, patient centred innovation. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated team to strengthen the delivery of Ambrose’s clinical programmes and make a difference to the underserved rare disease patients we are seeking to help.
While cancer is often perceived as a common disease, it’s important to recognise that rare cancers—defined as those affecting fewer than 6 in 100,000 people annually—account for nearly 1 in 5 cancer diagnoses in the UK. This includes aggressive forms like pancreatic cancer, which present distinct challenges in diagnosis and treatment.”
As COO, Hazel will oversee day-to-day operations and drive strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing Ambrose’s operational efficiency and ensuring milestone delivery. She will also lead the recently acquired VAL401 cancer programme, and provide a comprehensive package to initiate its planned Phase 2 trial in pancreatic cancer.
About Ambrose Healthcare’s most rare disease portfolio
UK based Ambrose Healthcare is an entrepreneurial pharmaceutical company working to drive change and provide solutions in rare diseases. It is building a late clinical stage rare disease drug portfolio through licensing and acquisitions, to complete development and commercialise. It is utilizing rare disease regulatory pathways designed to provide an accelerated route to market, with reduced development costs and timelines, and market protections.
Ambrose Healthcare’s most advanced drug candidate renzapride is a novel treatment being prepared for a Phase 2 study developed in conjunction with the U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms of cystic fibrosis (CF). Renzapride is an investigational prokinetic agent with a dual mode of action, being both a 5HTP4 agonist and a 5HTP3 antagonist, which can act throughout the gastrointestinal tract. It has demonstrated an attractive efficacy and safety profile in clinical studies involving >3,000 patients.
Results include three Phase 2 clinical studies in Constipation Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS-c) which reported statistically significant (p<0.05) improvements in bowel motility, and reduction in pain, bloating and feelings of nausea. These symptoms are also experienced by CF patients. These improvements have been reconfirmed in a Phase 3 trial, where they were studied as secondary endpoints in IBS-c.
Ambrose Healthcare recently announced the exercise of its option and entry into a global licensing agreement for VAL401. This milestone reinforces our commitment to advancing innovative rare disease therapies, including oncology indications such as pancreatic cancer. VAL401 has shown promise in late-stage trials for non-small cell lung cancer, and we intend to expand preclinical evidence to design a Phase 2 trial in pancreatic cancer.
We look forward to accelerating development and regulatory pathways to deliver meaningful impact for rare disease patients worldwide.
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