Helus Pharma names Michael Halstead CEO ahead of HLP003 Phase 3 readout

Helus Pharma, the commercial name of Cybin Inc. (Nasdaq: HELP; Cboe CA: HELP), announced on August 3, 2026 the appointment of Michael Halstead as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.¹

The move comes as the company moves its lead compound toward a possible launch. Halstead's appointment arrives as Helus Pharma advances HLP003 through late-stage clinical development and prepares for potential commercialization, with enrollment finished in the APPROACH study and topline results due in the fourth quarter of 2026, while a second pivotal trial called EMBRACE, part of the Phase 3 PARADIGM program, continues to enroll patients.¹ Participants are also being rolled over into EXTEND, a long-term extension study.¹

Halstead's background centers on his most recent role. He brings 25 years of industry experience, most recently as President of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., where he helped move the company from early-stage clinical development to a fully integrated commercial biopharmaceutical business.¹ At Intra-Cellular he contributed to the development, launch and commercialization of CAPLYTA (lumateperone), which holds approvals for schizophrenia, bipolar depression and adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder.¹ He also oversaw multiple equity offerings and led Intra-Cellular's $14.6 billion sale to Johnson & Johnson in 2025.¹

Earlier in his career, Halstead held senior leadership positions at Warner Chilcott plc, where he oversaw the $3 billion acquisition of Procter & Gamble's pharmaceutical business in 2009 and later the integration of about 2,000 employees, as well as Warner Chilcott's $8.5 billion sale to Actavis in 2013.¹

Helus Pharma describes itself as developing HLP003, a proprietary NSA in Phase 3 for adjunctive treatment of MDD that has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA, alongside HLP004, a Phase 2 NSA for generalized anxiety disorder.¹