Oryon Cell Therapies is a Belmont, Massachusetts clinical-stage biotechnology company developing autologous neuron replacement medicines for Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Spun out of research at the Neuroregeneration Research Institute at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Oryon converts a patient's own blood cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, then differentiates them into dopamine-producing A9 neurons that are implanted into the brain to restore lost dopaminergic function - without immune suppression. The company emerged from stealth in March 2026 with a $21M Series A tranche ($42M total in equity and grants) and early Phase 1b/2a data showing motor improvements and neuroimaging evidence of restored dopamine signaling.
Ron Cohen, M.D., is a biotech entrepreneur with a 30-year record of building companies that ship medicines for the nervous system. He founded Acorda Therapeutics in 1995 from his apartment and grew it into a public company that brought multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's therapies to market. After Acorda's sale to Merz in 2024, he evaluated roughly two dozen startups before taking the CEO seat at Oryon Cell Therapies in March 2026, a Belmont, Massachusetts company developing autologous neuron replacement therapy for Parkinson's. He is a past Chair of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).
Omri Amirav-Drory, Ph.D., is a General Partner at NFX leading NFX Bio, a pre-seed and seed venture fund focused on scientist-founders at the intersection of technology and biology. A former Fulbright Scholar and Stanford postdoc turned biotech entrepreneur, he co-founded Genome Compiler (acquired by Twist Bioscience), launched Tech.Bio, and now backs breakthrough life sciences companies while co-founding Renewal Bio - a longevity company building synthetic embryo-derived tissues to combat aging. His stated mission is ending involuntary death.